Chapter 60: Quiet Rainy Night

The spirit-devourer, resembling a giant ox, slowly split apart in the sky. Its seemingly indestructible body immediately developed countless fine cracks after dividing, slowly collapsing and toppling towards the human realm. In the air, it transformed into gaseous spiritual energy, ascending upwards and gradually condensing into large patches of demonic clouds.

These nascent demonic clouds looked as beautiful as amber. Bathed in the twilight glow, they now appeared a translucent pale pink, like delicate flower buds in the sky.

In the setting sun, the man in the old green robe stood suspended in mid-air. He rested his saber on his shoulder, observing the shattered spirit-devourer and the gradually closing void cracks. He nodded with satisfaction. Turning his head, his gaze lingered on Zhao Xiang'er for a moment, seemingly with some regret, before falling upon the kneeling young man behind them, who was holding a small girl.

The man suddenly narrowed his eyes, scrutinizing the young man thoroughly. He rubbed his chin for a while, then finally shook his head and sighed, "Good temperament, but what a pity."

Ning Changjiu also looked at him, his vision blurred, his throat too hoarse to utter a single sound, unable even to simply call out "Second Senior Brother."

Zhao Xiang'er had already fallen unconscious into Lu Jiajia's arms.

The dark divine sparrow that had circled her also swiftly descended behind her, disappearing into her elongated shadow cast by the setting sun.

Lu Jiajia bowed to the figure. "Thank you, Senior, for your assistance."

The man smiled freely. "I've been observing in the Imperial City for a few days now, and you young ones are truly interesting. You are indeed 'formidable young talents.' If fate allows, you are welcome to come to our temple to offer incense and worship the gods; it's quite effective."

Lu Jiajia began, "May I ask, Senior..."

Before she could finish, the man waved his hand. "My name and lineage are not convenient to discuss. Those who cultivate the Dao seek reason in matters and fate in people. Diligent cultivation is enough; no need for words of gratitude."

Lu Jiajia was speechless.

Ning Changjiu's body trembled as he stared intensely at his Second Senior Brother, making the usually carefree Second Senior Brother feel uneasy.

The man smoothed his hair, looked at Ning Changjiu, and chuckled, "I know my two earlier saber strikes were incomparably dominant, but you don't have to look at me like that, little brother. Hahaha, if you ever get a chance to see my Senior Sister's swordplay, wouldn't your eyes pop out?"

Senior Sister's swordplay... he had certainly seen it.

His Senior Sister's sword carried a heavy killing intent; how could he forget the scenes of the sun and moon losing their brilliance, the sky collapsing, and mountains and rivers overturning?

Yet, even such shock couldn't compare to his feelings upon seeing his Second Senior Brother again at this moment.

However, no matter how profound Second Senior Brother's saber technique was, he couldn't see through Ning Changjiu's thoughts. He simply assumed his own extraordinary saber skills had left the young man speechless and full of admiration, which he considered perfectly natural.

He glanced at the blood-red setting sun, and his smile suddenly faded.

"This matter is concluded... Farewell, young ones."

A bright green light shot into the sky.

The setting sun plunged towards the distant mountains on the horizon.

Ning Changjiu's body gradually calmed down. He gazed at the setting sun, recalling this very day in his previous life.

Back then, he had moved a lounge chair to a cliff edge by the sea of clouds, watching the setting sun sink into the cloud sea, stirring up magnificent red waves. When night fell, he had returned the marriage contract, explaining his intentions.

He had originally thought that connection would end there.

However, sometimes events in this world are not merely coincidences... but rather a complete subversion of fate.

He looked at the little girl with black clothes and ink-dark hair, resembling a porcelain doll. For some reason, an inexplicable warmth welled up in his heart. Remembering the internal struggle he'd had in the great hall earlier and the three-year agreement, the corners of his mouth couldn't help but curve slightly.

Ning Xiaoling in his arms remained asleep. The demonic seed had been completely crushed, and the innately pure and harmless innate spirit had receded into her body, slowly recovering its vitality.

Yet, thinking of the four characters "eternal concentricity" on the marriage contract, which he had used as an anchor to stabilize Ning Xiaoling, and knowing that the original fiancée from that contract was now before him, an odd feeling couldn't help but arise in his heart.

Of course, these emotions couldn't last too long. After everything settled, his gradually relaxing mind brought with it an irresistible weariness.

His eyelids, weighed down by an irresistible force, slowly closed.

Lu Jiajia gently held the girl in her arms, then swiftly moved to his side, supporting his leaning body. With a soft cry, the immortal sword at her waist unsheathed, transforming from rigid to pliant, becoming a sword-rope that wrapped around the two siblings. Her steps were incredibly steady as she lightly leapt down from the Nine Spirit Platform.

She looked at the unconscious girl in black in her arms, then at the two unconscious siblings entwined by the sword-rope. She wasn't sure if she was taking her family to a fair or abducting children; in any case, an inexplicable feeling akin to maternal radiance stirred within her...

Lu Jiajia smiled helplessly. She suddenly recalled the unparalleled saber strike she had just witnessed, but found her memory of it had become extremely hazy.

The saber intent, the trajectory of the strike, and the man's figure all became very indistinct, as if deliberately erased.

She looked at Ning Changjiu's unconscious face and suddenly remembered something he had said earlier: "It's not that I avoid the world, but that the mortal world avoids me."

Was this what his Second Senior Brother's words had meant?

She also wondered if his Senior Brother was also an extraordinary recluse like this nameless saber master.

She tightened her grip on the sword-rope, increasingly convinced that this young man was extraordinary. He must be a disciple from some immortal sect, traveling incognito... But given his strange family background and his utterly mismatched aptitude, could he be the illegitimate son of some sect master?

Regardless, it seemed he had used up all his resources. If he truly followed her to cultivate at the Heavenly Sword Sect as he claimed, he would likely have to be disciplined. She wondered how long it would take him to reach the Profound realm with his current aptitude...

It was another tumultuous day in the Imperial City.

As night fell, the heat of the day's blades and blood rapidly dissipated. After the last vestiges of twilight faded from the horizon, the bright moon gradually rose.

Ning Changjiu's external injuries were the most severe. The snow fox, tainted by the demonic seed, had pierced three bloodied holes through his chest, extending to his back. Many of his bones were broken, and the muscles in his right arm were severely torn from overexertion, making it likely he wouldn't be able to exert any strength even after waking. To secure a moment of clarity for Ning Xiaoling, he had clashed foreheads with her, despite her extremely high cultivation at the time, leaving his forehead covered in blood and his frontal bone fractured.

Ning Xiaoling, on the other hand, was weak. Her body had undergone extreme fluctuations, as if a small river-like body had suddenly been filled with water from a large lake, only for most of it to evaporate in an instant. This, coupled with the clash of mental will with the demonic seed, had left the little girl utterly exhausted, and her body's self-preservation instinct forced her into deep slumber.

Zhao Xiang'er was the strangest case. Lu Jiajia didn't know what effect traveling through three thousand worlds on a divine sparrow had on the body, but now Zhao Xiang'er lay flat on the bed, her face serene, breathing even. She seemed to have entered a profound state, though her small face was terribly pale.

Lu Jiajia speculated that this might also be a way of breaking through to establish anew.

After examining them, she approached Ning Changjiu. Carefully, she turned him over and channeled some spiritual energy into his body to protect vital areas like his heart, lungs, and Purple Mansion Qi Sea. Then, she placed her hand on his chest, hesitated for a moment, and unbuttoned his badly torn white robe to inspect his wounds.

The room was dimly lit, but through her sword-eyes, it was no different from daylight.

Her hand gently traced the wounds on the young man's body, little by little suppressing the strange emotions in her heart.

"It's just a normal thing, Lu Jiajia, what's gotten into you..."

She whispered to herself, composed herself, and began to treat his injuries.

Her sword-heart calmed. Spiritual energy surged from her fingertips, covering his wounds as she gently pressed and massaged. The exceptionally pure spiritual energy felt like a soothing balm; where blood had seeped out, scabs quickly formed. However, external injuries were easy to treat, but internal ones were difficult to heal. She had devoted herself to sword cultivation in the past and knew very little about this aspect, only understanding the most basic medical principles.

But he seemed quite resilient; he should... be able to pull through on his own, right?

Still somewhat uneasy, Lu Jiajia moved her palm above his chest. As spiritual energy surged, it intricately seeped into his body, checking for any unusual areas.

A moment later, she lowered her hand and wiped her forehead.

"This blood-soaked robe..."

Lu Jiajia's lips pressed together, her heart in turmoil.

When she was sixteen, she had inherited the Bright Ripple Immortal Sword from her master. At that time, she believed her sword-heart was clear and perceptive, and that worldly matters could hardly stir any dust within her.

Yet, in just two short days, she had discovered that her sword-heart, painstakingly cultivated for decades, was so fragile.

Nevertheless, it was a blessing in disguise. Even with her sword-heart damaged, it was far better than having an unstable Dao heart during the Purple Court Tribulation, allowing a demonic seed to exploit the weakness and completely impact her Great Dao.

She silently consoled herself, her expression suddenly freezing as her fingers brushed against something hard at his waist.

That was...

Lu Jiajia frowned slightly, untying something from his waist... a withered branch?

It was an extremely smooth, withered branch, its dry body slightly bent, entirely grey, like a plum branch broken from the roadside in winter, still bearing faint patterns. Lu Jiajia examined it several times but found nothing special about it.

Perhaps because it was so ordinary, she hadn't noticed it along the way.

She set the withered branch aside, looking at Ning Changjiu's half-unbuttoned robe. The unconscious young man occasionally frowned, a hint of pain on his face.

Lu Jiajia's fingers lightly hooked the belt at his waist, hesitated for a moment, then gently pressed it back down.

His blood-soaked robe was almost dry. Since it wasn't directly affecting his injuries, she decided to wait for Ning Changjiu to wake up and change it himself.

She thought to herself.

When Ning Changjiu awoke, he found himself in a fresh white robe. His grievous wounds had stopped bleeding, but his entire body ached intensely. His already narrow Purple Mansion Qi Sea now looked like a desolate ancient battlefield.

He took a shallow breath, listening to the rustling rain outside. Feeling the tearing sensation in his chest, he just wanted to lie still, with no desire to move.

"You're awake?" A weak yet clear voice spoke in the darkness.

"Huh?" Ning Changjiu's mind was a little sluggish. After a moment of processing, he identified it as Zhao Xiang'er's voice. He turned his head with difficulty, looking towards the sound. "Why are you here too?"

Zhao Xiang'er retorted dryly, "Otherwise, would you, I, and your junior sister each get a separate room, forcing Lady Lu to shuttle between three rooms to take care of us simultaneously?"

Ning Changjiu looked down at his clean white robe and wisely kept silent.

Zhao Xiang'er also lay on the bed, eyes closed, her thin, upturned lips moving slightly as she softly asked, "Why did you lie to me?"

Ning Changjiu was taken aback. "What?"

Zhao Xiang'er said, slightly annoyed, "I heard what that man said today. He said their temple master hasn't found a closed-door disciple yet... So why did you lie to me?"

Ning Changjiu's breath hitched, and his chest throbbed faintly. "I... I didn't lie to you."

Zhao Xiang'er's delicate eyebrows slightly rose. "Then that man was your senior brother?"

*He was indeed my Senior Brother, but he said Master hadn't found a closed-door disciple yet, so how could I prove it?*

Ning Changjiu didn't know how to answer.

Zhao Xiang'er let out a cold snort. "You claim you didn't lie to me? So I misunderstood you earlier? In the great hall, I emphatically declared you were the one from the marriage contract. Now, it seems like I made a fool of myself, didn't I?"

Ning Changjiu pondered for a moment. "Since the marriage contract was annulled today anyway, does it matter whether it was true or not?"

Zhao Xiang'er's face was cold, and she remained silent.

"Zhao Xiang'er," Ning Changjiu suddenly called her name.

Zhao Xiang'er raised an eyebrow slightly, opening her eyes a little. "What is it?"

Ning Changjiu asked, "Does that agreement from that day still count?"

He was naturally asking about the three-year agreement.

Zhao Xiang'er thought for a while. "Although my Purple Mansion Qi Sea is completely destroyed now, my Acquired Spirit has formed. After this period, I will break through and establish anew, reshaping my acupoints, and I will be very powerful. Once I reclaim Zhao's six hundred li of lost territory, the shackles within my name 'Xiang' will be completely severed. Within three years, the Purple Court realm will be mere child's play for me. You... you can't possibly be my opponent."

She spoke calmly, without mockery or sarcasm in her words. But precisely because everything she said was true, such words were all the more disheartening.

Ning Changjiu listened quietly. Amidst the somewhat noisy rain, the girl's clear, faint voice sounded even more serene.

"As long as it still counts," Ning Changjiu concluded after listening to her words.

Zhao Xiang'er pursed her lips. "I didn't expect someone like you to act out of pique."

In her impression, this young Daoist was serious and calm, with terrifying cunning, far unlike his peers.

Ning Changjiu said, "It's not pique; it's simply respecting the agreement with Your Highness."

Zhao Xiang'er said, "Don't expect me to go easy on you then. If you dare to come, I'll beat you until you're picking your teeth off the ground."

"Picking your teeth off the ground?" Ning Changjiu chuckled. "It seems Your Highness still intends to show mercy."

Zhao Xiang'er also smiled. She said mildly, "What about you? Don't you have anything to say? When I read those legendary books, people always exchange fierce words at times like this."

Ning Changjiu smiled faintly. "In those stories, the ones who usually lose are almost always the arrogant women."

Zhao Xiang'er asked, "Am I arrogant?"

Ning Changjiu dared not reply.

Zhao Xiang'er snorted coldly. "I'm not a character from a book, and I don't believe you can be as blessed as those men in stories."

Ning Changjiu said, "Don't regret it later."

Zhao Xiang'er said, "Boring."

Ning Changjiu turned his head towards the window. "What a heavy rain."

Zhao Xiang'er hummed in acknowledgment. "With that spirit-devourer dead, and the demonic clouds turning into rain... a great demon above the Five Paths, mind you. After this heavy rain, the talents of Zhao Kingdom will sprout like mushrooms after a spring shower. This is Heaven's will."

Ning Changjiu softly responded.

Zhao Xiang'er said, with a hint of surprise, "This is a rain seen only once in a hundred years. Yet your body can't be exposed to it now; you're watching an opportunity vanish before your eyes. Do you... feel no regret or unwillingness at all?"

Ning Changjiu said, "Isn't Your Highness also lying here?"

Zhao Xiang'er frowned. "For me, this is merely icing on the cake, an optional extra. But for you, it's different."

Ning Changjiu smiled faintly. "It's already difficult enough to survive such a calamity. To be able to listen to the night rain with Your Highness after the tribulation, I have no further extravagant desires."

Zhao Xiang'er was silent for a moment. "Although what you say is true, but..."

"But I hate your nonchalant demeanor. I'm increasingly looking forward to the scene three years from now when I beat you up. Let's see if you can still be so calm then," she said.

So that night, Ning Changjiu and Zhao Xiang'er exchanged words back and forth. Outside, the rain was incessant, but the pauses between their sentences grew longer, and their voices grew softer. By the time Lu Jiajia returned, both of them, separated by a bed, had fallen asleep.

Lu Jiajia sat by the window, somewhat clumsily beginning to brew medicine, while Ning Xiaoling remained in a deep slumber, her curled-up body resembling a weak little fox.

It was an ordinary and tranquil rainy night in the Imperial City of Zhao.