Ling Xi woke up, cold sweat beading on his forehead. He jolted upright in bed, his eyes falling upon the familiar courtyard of Shao Lin. A sigh of relief escaped his lips.
Had he been dreaming?
He dreamt he had lured Ye Ziling out, and after a fierce battle, she had accidentally fallen off a cliff.
No matter how hard he tried to grab her hand, it was all in vain.
Ling Xi's eyes darkened. A faint smile graced his pale, gaunt face, a testament to his relief that it was merely a nightmare.
At that moment, Ling Zhao and Shen Yueru pushed open the door, carrying a bowl of medicine. They approached him slowly, sitting on the edge of his bed, their gazes fixed on him with palpable concern.
"Senior Brother Ling, how are you?" Shen Yueru asked, her eyes soft and filled with anxiety.
Seeing that he was awake, Ling Zhao eagerly wanted to share some good news. A gentle smile curved his lips. "It's good that you're awake. I have some good news for you. In this year's martial examination, Shao Lin had the highest pass rate among the four major sects!"
The martial examination was over?
Ling Xi's gaze deepened, a flicker of confusion in his eyes.
Shen Yueru, knowing he had been unconscious for so long, assumed he had missed the news about the Emperor personally coming to Shao Lin to bestow rewards upon his father. Thus, she blurted out, "Senior Brother Ling, let me tell you a secret. This time, Shao Lin and Cui Ling Xuan helped the Emperor deal with the Demoness. The Emperor has specially reserved a spot in the martial examination for us, and he even granted Father a celestial position. Even I passed the martial examination!"
The Demoness?
Ling Xi's heart tightened, as if a heavy stone had settled upon him, making it impossible to catch his breath.
Ye Ziling, she was dead?
Was it all not a dream after all?!
Shen Yueru, thinking he was feeling unwell, quickly handed him the medicine, her apricot eyes brightening. "Senior Brother, drink your medicine quickly. Once you're better, we'll go to the Heavenly Palace together for a trip!"
Ling Xi couldn't bring himself to smile.
From beginning to end, his brows remained furrowed, his expression complex.
Suddenly, a sharp sound of shattering porcelain echoed. The soup medicine spilled all over the floor.
Ling Xi's eyes turned crimson, his expression bordering on madness, as if all reason had vanished in an instant. His voice was devoid of any warmth. "The Sect Leader and Emperor Qing Bai conspired together, and I was the only one kept in the dark? They deliberately kept me in the dark?"
The Sect Leader had only told him to lure Ye Ziling to Wan Xian Cliff, trap her with a formation, and capture her, without harming a single strand of her hair.
Shen Yueru and Ling Zhao stood frozen, staring at his unprecedented fury. The smiles on their faces instantly solidified.
They had expected Ling Xi to be happy upon hearing this news.
Ling Zhao recalled the way Ling Xi had looked at Ye Ziling when she came to Shao Lin for the immortal examination mobilization meeting. Now that she was dead, Ling Xi's outburst suggested he had already developed feelings for her.
Shen Yueru knew that Senior Brother Ling couldn't bear to part with that beast, Ye Ziling.
A beast was still a beast, after all. Humans and beasts could never be together. Even if Senior Brother Ling liked her, she wouldn't be able to return.
Moreover, she had already told her father that she had been fond of Senior Brother Ling for a long time. Her father had promised her that they would discuss their marriage after the immortal examination.
"Junior Brother, it's impossible for humans and beasts. Her death has made a choice for you," Ling Zhao said, having nothing else to add but to console him.
"Senior Brother, Shao Lin needs you. Now that the Sect Leader is busy with his celestial duties, we have to rely on you for matters within the academy," Shen Yueru advised.
Ling Xi's thin lips were tightly pressed together. A slight upward curve, a smile that held anger, his deep eyes grew even more profound, eventually becoming completely calm and placid.
The autumn wind carried a hint of coolness, caressing the mist by the riverside. A dense white mist rose, causing ripples on the calm surface of the water.
Although it was not the season for peach blossoms, in this deep valley, peach blossoms bloomed year-round, resembling a fairyland. Hence, it was known as a paradise on earth.
By the river, two old women were pounding clothes and chatting, both with displeased expressions.
"The bandits are getting bolder lately. They've threatened that if Peach Blossom Valley cannot produce a thousand taels of silver, they'll send us to meet King Yama. It's outrageous!"
"What can we do? Our Sacred Physician Tribe has always only saved people. We don't even make poisonous elixirs, how can we fight enemies? I say, to save the world, one must first save oneself. Only by preserving one's life can one save others!"
...
"Cough cough..."
As the two old women were chatting, they heard a coughing sound.
"Has your cough acted up again?" One of the old women put down her pounding stick and looked at the person opposite her in confusion.
"I didn't cough!"
The two exchanged glances, both showing confusion.
"Cough cough..."
They got up and looked along the river. The mist suddenly dispersed, and a woman was floating on the riverbank.
Her gauze clothing floated on the water. Although unconscious, she held onto the grass on the bank with all her might, a strong will to survive evident.
Although the woman's face was pale, it could not conceal her captivating beauty. The sight of her submerged in the water was tragically beautiful.
Without a word, the two women pulled the beauty floating in the water ashore and helped her to the palace for treatment.
Ye Ziling woke up in an exquisite room.
Outside the window, peach blossoms bloomed, their fragrance wafting in.
The surrounding furniture was extremely elegant, and a few stray peach blossoms were placed in a vase by the bedside.
Strange, she had fallen off a cliff, how could she be here?
Moreover, her body didn't hurt at all. Could this be paradise?
She quickly dismissed the thought, as she had stained her hands with the blood of many people. If she died, she would only go to hell.
At that moment, a young man peeked into the inner room. Upon seeing that she was awake, he ran excitedly to his neighbors, shouting, "The great beauty is awake! Brother Valley Master, hurry!"