She Dominates the Immortal Realm with Her HP Bar-Chapter 91

◎Once More, Youthful Wandering.◎

Upon hearing these words, Chu Tiankuo was so overjoyed that it startled him.

He stood frozen in place, his expression as if he had been struck head-on by something unexpected, momentarily unable to utter a single word.

Only Song Qingchi was both laughing and crying, his face twisted into an expression of uncertain anger.

He recalled the time he had done homework for his eldest senior brother and junior sister, only to be caught by his father.

The three of them had scattered in different directions, giggling and pleading as they ran, "Master, Master, stop chasing us!"

But by dinnertime, they were still punished—each balancing a water bucket on their heads, standing in a row under the eaves.

His father had fumed back then, "Do you think you're helping them? You're harming them! This is a case of 'harm others, and you harm yourself in the end!'"

—The problem was, nine out of ten teachers in the world said the same thing.

Even if you hadn't eaten pork, you'd seen pigs run. Practically every child grew up hearing some variation of this lecture from a teacher.

A lie repeated a hundred times becomes the truth; the truth repeated a hundred times becomes trivial.

Because this lesson had been drilled into their ears so often it had become a cliché, when the prophecy-like criticism finally came true, Song Qingchi cried his heart out, utterly devastated.

He had thought that even if Chu Tiankuo copied homework, he at least went through the motions.

Given the eldest senior brother’s sharp memory and intelligence, copying it once should have been enough to recognize it later.

Who knew he hadn’t engaged his brain at all—his hands moved, but his mind didn’t follow.

Damn it all!

—How could he not recognize Soul-Nourishing Pearls? How could he not recognize Soul-Nourishing Pearls?!

At this point, Wu Manshuang and Ling Shuanghun exchanged odd expressions.

Wu Manshuang seemed to relate it to himself.

After all, not long ago, he had been helping Yan Luoyue with the array homework assigned by Ji Qinghong.

As for Ling Shuanghun…

Judging by the White Crane Chronicler’s subtle expression, Ling Shuanghun had hardly been a model student in his youth either.

Yan Luoyue had been listening to Chu Tiankuo’s story while nibbling on mung bean cakes and sipping tea.

When this part came up, she choked on her pastry, nearly collapsing onto the table from laughter.

Considering Chu Tiankuo’s hardships, Yan Luoyue wanted to speak up for him:

Truthfully, even if Chu Tiankuo had done his own homework, he might not have recognized those Soul-Nourishing Pearls.

After all, Song Qingchi clearly didn’t know about the existence of a certain breed of miraculous university students.

They could cram an entire textbook’s worth of material in a week before exams—only to forget it all a week after the test…

But in any case, discovering the gathered souls of Tao Tao and the other townspeople of Camellia Town was a good thing.

Before burying Tao Tao, Song Qingchi had placed a Corpse-Preserving Pearl in her mouth to prevent decay.

Now, once Tao Tao regained enough strength in the Soul-Nourishing Pearls, and with the aid of a ritual artifact, her soul could return to her body.

When that happened, Tao Tao would be her lively, adorable self again—only now, she’d be years younger than her eldest and second senior brothers!

The townspeople of Camellia Town posed a trickier problem.

As mortals, their souls were naturally weaker than a cultivator’s.

After probing with his spiritual sense, Song Qingchi found their consciousnesses in a muddled state. It would likely take decades of rest before they regained their former clarity.

Worse, their physical bodies had been burned by the people of Camellia Town.

This meant Song Qingchi would have to craft puppet bodies for them, at least allowing them to live out the lives they were meant to have.

Still, these were minor issues.

Sniffling heavily, Song Qingchi wiped away his tears of emotion. When he looked up again, a smile had returned to his lips.

Chu Tiankuo pressed eagerly, "What did Tao Tao say?"

Song Qingchi replied sheepishly, "She told me to change out of these white robes… She said she prefers me in blue—it looks better."

"…Oh." Chu Tiankuo responded flatly.

It wasn’t that he objected to his junior siblings being involved.

They’d grown up together; it was good if they found happiness within their circle.

It was just… well… could they maybe not rub their sweet nothings in his face?

As a native of the cultivation world, Chu Tiankuo didn’t know the term "dog food."

But at this moment, his keen battle instincts told him that similar incidents would likely happen many, many more times in the future…

Song Qingchi added, "She had something to say to you too, Eldest Senior Brother."

Chu Tiankuo perked up. "Oh?"

Song Qingchi sighed. "Tao Tao said the Soul-Nourishing Pearls are cramped—could we please evict those murderers first? She’s practically suffocating in there!"

Chu Tiankuo: "…Oh."

Fair enough. The pearls were embedded in a hairpin as faux stamens—just a few rice-sized pale beads that looked cramped at a glance.

And Tao Tao, being a cultivator, had a sturdier soul than ordinary people… meaning she took up more space.

Without waiting for Chu Tiankuo’s response, Song Qingchi eagerly fished out the souls of the initial murderers.

Exposed to sunlight, the vengeful spirits melted like snow under scorching heat, hissing as they dissipated within moments.

In the cultivation world, while soul-seizing and refinement techniques existed, there was no concept of reincarnation.

For ordinary mortals, when their time came, their souls would fade alongside their aging bodies.

At the final breath, the soul would depart—a mindless wisp that dissolved into the world’s spiritual energy, no different from flesh returning to the earth.

Cultivators’ souls were far more resilient.

If they could find treasures like Soul-Nourishing Pearls to house their spirits, with time and care, they might even rebuild their foundations as ghost cultivators.

Of course, the path of ghost cultivation was far more arduous than the ordinary way.

No wonder stories of "stumbling upon an ancient elder’s spirit" had once been wildly popular among mortals.

Those tales likely stemmed from rare encounters between lucky commoners and cultivators who’d preserved their souls.

Since the townspeople of Camellia Town had died prematurely, their souls hadn’t decayed with age.

And having been sheltered in the pearls, they could still reclaim the lives they were owed.

Though by then, they’d face a world utterly changed by time.

But as long as they lived, hope remained.

…

After confirming Tao Tao’s survival, the two men’s madness subsided slightly.

Song Qingchi reflected on his actions, realizing that refining his senior brother into an artifact had been too unprecedented—a perilous path, fraught with uncertainty.

He said to his senior brother, "Perhaps... we should pause the artifact refinement plan."

Since they had only just begun, it wasn't too late to stop now.

The moment he voiced this thought, Song Qingchi noticed his senior brother staring at him with an extremely, extremely, extremely terrifying expression.

Chu Tiankuo grinned brightly, flashing a row of gleaming white teeth.

Pointing to his right side below the ribs, he asked deliberately, "Junior Brother, do you remember what you said half a year ago?"

Song Qingchi, knowing he was in the wrong, muttered in repetition, "The kidneys govern bones and produce marrow. After much deliberation, I concluded that the least harmful starting point for this body-refining technique would be to refine the kidneys first."

Chu Tiankuo kicked out: "Screw that! You already refined one of my kidneys, and now you want to just quit?"

Song ​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‍Qingchi: "..."

After a moment of thought, Song Qingchi realized his senior brother had a point.

"Then, Senior Brother, I—"

Chu Tiankuo’s resolve was unshakable: "We continue refining, testing again and again. We have time, we have patience—until we slay that damned demon!"

Hearing this, the two young men nearby nodded in solemn agreement.

Ling Shuanghun bobbed his head emphatically: "If we quit now, the sacrifice would be too great—that was a kidney!"

Wu Manshuang sighed deeply: "Indeed. This must be what you once called 'sunk cost,' Luo Yue—that was a kidney!"

Yan Luoyue: "???"

Honestly, what goes on in you boys' heads all day?

Of course, Chu Tiankuo’s determination wasn’t solely for the sake of his already-refined kidney... well, not entirely for his kidney.

The bigger reason was that, apart from this method, neither the records they’d found nor their deductions offered any other way to deal with that demon.

—They couldn’t just rush in and kill the next victim the demon chose for its "meal," could they?

"So, Senior Brothers Chu and Song persevered, stumbling and forging a path no one had walked before, until they achieved today’s results."

Hearing this, a faint smile surfaced on Ling Shuanghun’s face.

Wu Manshuang also relaxed, leaning back slightly with a satisfied expression, as if he’d just heard a wonderful story.

"Now, it seems there’s only one question left."

"What?"

Ling Shuanghun smirked slyly and pointed at Yan Luoyue: "Xiao Yan, how do you know so much?"

—The three of them had been captured together, so why was there such a huge gap in the information they had?

Had Yan Luoyue not been knocked out by Chu Tiankuo’s hand chop like Ling Shuanghun and Wu Manshuang, but instead stayed awake listening to stories the whole time?

"Exactly."

Yan Luoyue nodded gravely and pulled out pastries from her storage pouch—wait, why was hers the only pouch not sealed?!—offering them to the other two.

"While you two were unconscious, I was busy eating mung bean cakes, red bean cakes, osmanthus pastries, honey-glazed twists... and listening to Senior Brother Chu’s stories."

Wu Manshuang: "..."

Ling Shuanghun: "..."

Only when Yan Luoyue held the pastries right under their noses did they realize: not only were their cultivation seals in place, but they hadn’t eaten for days!

Their stomachs chose that exact moment to let out a long, loud growl.

The two boys snatched the pastries, unscrewed their water pouches, and stuffed their cheeks full, chewing like frantic squirrels.

Between ravenous bites, they listened as Yan Luoyue wrapped up the tale.

"After exchanging information with Senior Brother Chu, I learned that he was actually a plate of twice-cooked pork—ahem, I mean, the mastermind behind a scheme within a scheme within a scheme."

...

At the time, Yan Luoyue had been adamant.

Even if Chu Tiankuo was going to erase her memories afterward, she had to know his original script first.

After a brief pause, Chu Tiankuo shook his head with a smile.

Before Yan Luoyue could feel disappointed, he said:

"There’s no need to seal your memories. Having one person among you three who knows the truth is a good thing."

Moreover, according to the original plan, Chu Tiankuo would also erase a crucial part of his own memory—specifically, how they had discovered the Soul Nurturing Pearl and learned that Tao Tao and the other townsfolk of Shancha Town were still alive.

Yan Luoyue looked up in surprise: "Huh? Why?"

Chu Tiankuo replied calmly: "A plan can be intricately layered, but emotions must be genuine."

If the bait wasn’t real, how could he lure out that gray mist? How could he make it see him as prey again?

Thus, the pain and despair Chu Tiankuo exuded in that moment had to be utterly authentic.

Capturing Wu Manshuang, Ling Shuanghun, and Yan Luoyue and bringing them to the ruins of Shancha Town for a staged performance was only the first step.

To ensure no leaks, Wu Manshuang and Ling Shuanghun were kept in the dark—their reactions had to be real.

In Chu Tiankuo’s follow-up plan, the three of them wouldn’t need to turn on each other.

The moment he handed the dagger to Wu Manshuang, Song Qingchi would make his grand entrance.

Years ago, on a whim during a storm, Chu Tiankuo had planted the seed of "betrayal."

Now, at last, that seed had bloomed, and the fruit was ripe for picking.

When it came to Song Qingchi’s role, Chu Tiankuo had been deliberately vague.

Even he didn’t know what method his junior brother would use to make his heartache unbearably real.

Chu Tiankuo stroked his chin, intrigued: "Junior Brother said he had the perfect arrangement to make our fallout convincing..."

Trusting Chu Tiankuo’s taste, Yan Luoyue couldn’t help but grow curious.

So when a shadowy feminine figure appeared backstage, veiled and holding a pipa, Yan Luoyue’s anticipation soared.

Then, Song Qingchi made his entrance—

Yan Luoyue: Wow, cross-dressing? Nice!

Chu Tiankuo: What? Has my junior brother fallen so low as to wear Tao Tao’s clothes?

Song Qingchi revealed his face—

Yan Luoyue: Yikes, hardcore—he melted half his face off? For real?

Chu Tiankuo: For this plan, he went this far...

Clearly, Chu Tiankuo had taken Song Qingchi’s disfigurement at face value.

That was why his anguish felt so genuine, even fooling the demon itself.

Later, when Song Qingchi recited his scripted, obsessive lines with a deadpan expression—

Chu Tiankuo nearly clutched his chest, heart aching as if flayed: Perfect! This reasoning is flawless!

Yan Luoyue’s first thought: What kind of straight-male-written yandere nonsense is this?

...And thus, the stark contrast between how men and women perceive breakup drama was laid bare.

When Yan Luoyue shared this observation, Wu Manshuang and Ling Shuanghun exchanged a glance behind her back.

Seizing a moment when she wasn’t looking, Wu Manshuang whispered uncertainly, "I thought... the script was pretty good?"

Ling Shuanghun also whispered softly, "I think this script is quite well-written too."

After a brief silence, Wu Manshuang sighed. "Let's not tell Luoyue about this."

Ling Shuanghun nodded firmly. "We can't let Xiao Yan know."

Unaware of their secret exchange, Yan Luoyue turned her gaze toward the distance, where the tug-of-war between Chu Tiankuo and the gray mist was nearing its end.

Just moments ago, Yan Luoyue had personally tested the mechanism by which the gray mist sustained damage.

This assurance undoubtedly gave Chu Tiankuo a powerful boost of confidence.

Under his relentless efforts, the man who had been refined into the "Artifact Chu Tiankuo" simultaneously activated his artifact, formation, and sword aura, pushing all his capabilities to their limits.

Like an inescapable whirlwind, he forcibly dragged the gray mist, bit by bit, into the vessel that was now Chu Tiankuo.

Though Yan Luoyue had compared Chu Tiankuo to a sword, he hadn’t actually been forged into one.

—What kind of sword would be hollow and capable of devouring five bowls of rice per meal?

Considering that the first washing machine was called a "washing machine" and the first automatic rice cooker was called an "electric rice cooker," following this naming logic, the artifact version of Chu Tiankuo should now be dubbed the "Fully Automatic Gray Mist Annihilation Device."

This device executed its mission flawlessly.

After containing the gray mist, Chu Tiankuo lifted the spiritual seal on his memories and waved cheerfully at Yan Luoyue and the others.

Yan Luoyue’s eyes brightened as she grabbed Wu Manshuang and Ling Shuanghun, rushing toward him.

"Senior Brother Chu."

She scrutinized Chu Tiankuo up and down. "Are you alright now?"

"This is the best I’ve ever been."

Yan Luoyue pressed further, "And Senior Sister Tao Tao? Is she alright too?"

Chu Tiankuo’s smile widened. "Her soul returned long ago—ah, you want to see Tao Tao?"

He turned and waved at Song Qingchi. "Hey, Junior Brother, when will Tao Tao—"

His words cut off abruptly.

A lovely young woman in pink robes and a jade-green skirt approached from afar.

Her steps were light and bouncy, like a little rabbit’s, and she soon reached Song Qingchi’s side.

"Finally witnessing Senior Brother’s triumph over evil—I’ve been waiting forever!"

As she spoke, Tao Tao spread her arms and affectionately embraced… Song Qingchi.

Chu Tiankuo: "…"

He turned back to Yan Luoyue, his tone flat. "Still want to see your Senior Sister Tao Tao?"

Yan Luoyue immediately noticed that Tao Tao’s makeup mirrored the half-face look Song Qingchi had worn earlier in his cross-dressing disguise.

Suddenly, she found herself force-fed a mouthful of "dog food."

Slowly, she turned her head back and muttered, "Actually… maybe not that much."

At last, Chu Tiankuo removed the cast-iron mask from his face.

Beneath the cold, steely exterior lay the handsome, spirited visage of a man who still resembled the youth he once was.

Yan Luoyue pressed on, "Where is the gray mist now?"

At this question, Chu Tiankuo’s cheerful grin took on a ruthless edge.

He casually tapped his chest, producing a metallic echo.

"Right here. I’m keeping it company with a little game."

Yan Luoyue blinked. "What kind of game?"

Chu Tiankuo cracked his knuckles. "Over the years, Junior Brother and I made some modifications… just for fun, I had him install a maze inside me."

"A maze full of branching paths," Chu Tiankuo added with a solemn nod. "Since this bastard loves forcing choices on people—I’ll let it choose to its heart’s content!"

Yan Luoyue: "???"

Huh? Wait, that’s possible?

—No, wait, "just for fun"? Senior Brother Chu, your audacity knows no bounds!

Chu Tiankuo narrowed his eyes and murmured, "Like right now…"

Whatever choice the trapped gray mist made, he shook his head in mock regret.

"Sorry, pal. Dead end. This path’s got a raging inferno!"

With a tap on his chest—likely activating a sound-amplifying formation—the gray mist’s agonized shrieks burst forth, startling Yan Luoyue into jumping back.

"Did I scare you?"

Chu Tiankuo smiled apologetically before silencing the formation again. "Alright, shut up. You’re being noisy."

The gray mist’s cries were instantly muffled, not a whisper escaping.

"Senior Brother Chu… does it hurt?"

Chu Tiankuo chuckled. "Of course not. I’m not an idiot—if it hurt, I’d say so."

Yan Luoyue’s gaze filled with awe.

—Not only had they refined a living Chu Tiankuo into a weapon against demons, but they’d also found time to build a maze inside him.

Was this still artifact refinement?

This was practically the cultivation world’s version of human alchemy!

But regardless…

Yan Luoyue grinned and bowed to Chu Tiankuo. "Let me congratulate you in advance, Senior Brother Chu, Senior Brother Song, and Senior Sister Tao Tao."

—With the demonic culprit captured and the souls of Shancha Town’s residents nearly restored,

the evidence was undeniable. The once-celebrated champion of the Sword Dao Grand Assembly could finally reclaim his honor and clear his name.

Hearing her well-wishes, Chu Tiankuo smiled warmly.

"Then let me congratulate you in advance too, Junior Sister."

"Eh?"

"Turn around." He placed a hand on her shoulder, gently guiding her to pivot. "Look, your senior brother’s here to pick you up."

Though he’d intercepted all her messenger paper cranes, he’d sent one to Jiang Tingbai, explaining the situation.

After all, if you recruit someone’s junior siblings to help, you ought to inform their guardian.

As for why he didn’t write to Demon Venerable Ji…

Well… let’s not go there.

Yan Luoyue looked up to see a streak of sword light slicing through the sky. Moon-white robes parted the clouds, revealing a familiar face in an instant.

"Senior Brother!"

"Mn. I’m here."

Jiang Tingbai landed smoothly, plucking a crimson camellia from his lapel.

After assessing the amicable atmosphere between Chu Tiankuo and Yan Luoyue, he strode forward, gathering his junior siblings and Ling Shuanghun protectively behind him before saluting Chu Tiankuo with a swordsman’s gesture.

"Brother Chu."

"Brother Jiang."

Jiang Tingbai sighed. "Eighty years apart, yet you remain as spirited as ever."

Chu Tiankuo grinned. "Eighty years is but a snap of the fingers—yet your sword intent has grown immensely!"

The two locked eyes, battle spirit flaring between them.

Though Jiang Tingbai’s blade remained sheathed, the sword light gleaming in his gaze was sharper than any forged steel.

"At the Sword Dao Grand Assembly back then, my skills fell short, and I lost to Brother Chu by a single move... Now that the Sword Dao Grand Assembly has come around again, I wonder if Brother Chu still retains the same vigor as before?"

Chu Tiankuo patted his chest, causing the gray mist sealed within his body to let out a sharp cry.

He answered word by word: "My heart remains unchanged."

—"Though I wish to buy osmanthus and share wine, it is still the same youthful adventure."

...

Though both Jiang Tingbai and Chu Tiankuo were eager to cross swords, now was clearly not the right time.

Ever since receiving the news, Jiang Tingbai had traveled day and night, covered in dust, rushing to fetch his junior siblings.

Chu Tiankuo, on the other hand, had exhausted all means to capture his greatest enemy of the past eighty years.

Now that they had finally reached a happy ending, rather than clashing swords in a fierce duel, it was far more joyful for everyone to sit together, share good wine, and enjoy a hearty meal.

Chu Tiankuo turned and didn’t forget to pat Yan Luoyue’s head:

"Come on, this time I won’t tease you—let’s go eat some real twice-cooked pork."

The group arrived at the largest restaurant in Mountain Tea City and reserved a private room on the second floor.

Yan Luoyue happened to be seated next to Song Qingchi.

Taking advantage of the spare time before the dishes arrived, Yan Luoyue took the initiative to ask him about the "Body Refinement" technique.

"Of course, this is Brother Song’s unique method..."

If Song Qingchi was unwilling to teach, that would be perfectly understandable.

Yan Luoyue had no intention of leveraging past favors.

Song Qingchi was momentarily taken aback, then smiled amiably and said:

"There’s no reason not to teach it. I’ve compiled my insights from recent years into a manual. If you’re interested, Junior Sister Yan, you can make a copy of the jade slip and study it."

After a brief pause, Song Qingchi added, "However, Junior Sister Yan, it might still be a bit early for you to delve into this."

The Body Refinement technique, which he had spent eighty years perfecting, had three key principles.

The first lay in formations.

Before refining, one must first use the corresponding formation to alter the state of the targeted area, even allowing the effect to penetrate skin and muscle, reaching directly to the bones and organs—otherwise, wouldn’t this just be roasting a living person? Who could endure such torment?

The second lay in spiritual sense.

Most of the techniques in Body Refinement required coordination with spiritual sense to complete.

"..."

Hearing this, Yan Luoyue’s heart stirred slightly.

Theoretically, spiritual sense was a special ability that could only be cultivated upon reaching the Golden Core stage.

But she had just discovered... after this birthday, aside from her health points multiplying by ten and her HP bar swelling to ten million, there was another change in her.

Glancing at the top of her head, she subtly adjusted her hair ribbon as a cover while tapping the red HP bar with her finger.

With that tap, the absurdly long, restaurant-spanning, street-dominating HP bar finally folded away.

And beneath it, a new surprise was revealed.

It was a golden needle-like bar, currently displaying the number "1."

Half intuition, half logical deduction—Yan Luoyue felt that this tiny golden line labeled "1" must be her spiritual sense HP bar.

Yan Luoyue was still only at the late Foundation Establishment stage, some distance away from Golden Core.

But perhaps because she had endured Chu Tiankuo’s spiritual sense attack, the system had developed a sense of urgency and delivered this spiritual sense function ahead of schedule.

In theory, since she now had a spiritual sense HP bar, she might be able to use spiritual sense.

...Well, when the time was right, she’d have to test it out.

Song Qingchi didn’t notice Yan Luoyue’s distraction and continued:

"Actually, my success in mastering the Body Refinement technique was partly due to chance... The key was fire."

Yan Luoyue’s eyes sharpened. "What kind of fire?"

Song Qingchi dipped his finger in tea and drew a bean-sized shape on the table.

"This Body Refinement method was unheard of, and several times it nearly put Senior Brother in danger."

"Especially during the final quenching step—it was the most perilous. I didn’t want to risk harming Senior Brother, so I considered giving up."

Even if it meant spending another eighty years to find a new way to deal with the demonic creatures, they couldn’t gamble with Chu Tiankuo’s safety.

At this point, Song Qingchi’s expression turned peculiar.

"But just then... a tiny flame flew in through the window, helping me complete the final and most crucial step."

According to Chu Tiankuo’s recollection, the flame was brimming with vitality.

Song Qingchi chuckled softly and shook his head.

"Once I finished the last step of the Body Refinement technique, the little flame withdrew as if its task was done. I wanted to keep it, but it seemed determined to leave..."

He could have forcibly captured it.

But how could he repay the flame’s profound kindness with such ingratitude?

So Song Qingchi silently loosened his grip, letting the tiny vermilion flame roll away into the dusk.

Yan Luoyue pressed urgently: "That flame... Senior Brother Song, can you tell me where you saw it?"

To be honest, Yan Luoyue had a suspicion.

She suspected that the red flame might be a fragment of the Wailing Crow Flame lost in the world.

Song Qingchi nodded and then told her the location where the flame had appeared.

Yan Luoyue memorized it, planning to investigate when she had the chance.

With serious matters settled, it was time for lighter conversation.

Yan Luoyue was adept at this.

She complimented Tao Tao: "Senior Sister Tao Tao, your makeup is so pretty! And you’re even prettier!"

Regardless of age, most women loved hearing such words.

Tao Tao was indeed delighted. The girl laughed, casting a playful glance at Song Qingchi.

"Actually... I don’t know how to do makeup."

"What? But it looks amazing."

Tao Tao’s eyes curved into crescents as she smiled. "I really don’t know how—this makeup was all done by A’Chi."

"Eh?" Yan Luoyue blinked, recalling Song Qingchi’s half-done makeup when he had appeared in women’s attire. "Don’t tell me that was also..."

Song Qingchi nodded openly. "Yes, I did it myself."

Yan Luoyue was surprised. "Senior Brother Song, your hands are so skillful."

"Well..." Song Qingchi smiled sheepishly.

Then, perhaps taking advantage of Yan Luoyue’s young age to assume she wouldn’t understand, he openly clasped Tao Tao’s hand under the table.

Song Qingchi said softly, "Among the joys of the boudoir, painting eyebrows is one."

Yan Luoyue: "..."

Yan Luoyue silently turned her head away, opting to cleanse her eyes by looking at Wu Manshuang instead.

She refused to keep watching those two—they were far too dazzling!

As she turned, she noticed Wu Manshuang quietly using spiritual energy to vibrate the cups, plates, and utensils—much like mortals sterilizing tableware with hot water.

Then, Wu Manshuang naturally pushed the entire set toward Yan Luoyue.

...

The two senior brothers’ drinking session lasted until the moon hung high in the sky.

Chu Tiankuo drank swiftly and fiercely, as if trying to drown years of pent-up emotions.

Jiang Tingbai drank lightly and slowly, his slight tipsiness as gentle as his personality.

Chu Tiankuo poured himself another full cup of wine and praised, "Your junior sister—she’s quite remarkable."

Jiang Tingbai chuckled leisurely. "Brother Chu, you may not know this, but back then, after narrowly losing to you by a single move, I didn’t envy your first-place title. What I envied was that you had a junior brother and a junior sister by your side. The three of you stood together on that stage, so full of vigor and spirit..."

As Jiang Tingbai spoke, Chu Tiankuo’s eyes, glazed with drunkenness, narrowed slightly, as if recalling the audacity of their youth.

That year, Chu Tiankuo had just emerged from the snowy wilderness.

By his side was the finest healer and the most skilled artificer.

His junior brother would perch on the railing of a high pavilion and toss down his own sword—"Senior Brother, catch!"

His junior sister would rush to him the moment the match ended, draping a dark cloak over his shoulders—"Senior Brother, wear this!"

The three of them stepped into a world as vibrant as blooming flowers, their hearts burning with ambition, ready to accomplish something grand and earth-shaking.

Back then, they were all still young.

Not a day passed without Qingchi and Tao Tao by Chu Tiankuo’s side.

Together, they were his sword, his armor, and the unyielding fire of his spirit.

But now...

Fate had taken a sharp and winding turn eighty years ago, yet after all the twists and turns, it had finally circled back to where it began.

Jiang Tingbai sighed with admiration. "Capturing the Heart-Devouring Demon and unveiling the truth to the world—Brother Chu, you’ve truly accomplished something grand and earth-shaking!"

Chu Tiankuo nodded with a smile, though a flicker of unspoken emotion soon crossed his face.

"Brother Jiang, you don’t know—well, you’ll likely come to understand deeply in the future..."

Jiang Tingbai: "???"

He set down his wine cup. "What do you mean, Brother Chu?"

Chu Tiankuo, his eyes bleary with drunkenness, slurred, "Even after eighty years, the fire of ambition remains unchanged. But the sword and armor? They’ll pair off on their own, and while you’re out front giving it your all, they’ll steal moments to hug and cling to each other..."

Jiang Tingbai: "..."

Recalling the affectionate exchanges between Tao Tao and Song Qingchi during the banquet, he chose his words carefully.

"I... don’t have similar experiences. This particular topic... isn’t one I’m qualified to comment on."

"You’re not qualified to comment, my foot!" Chu Tiankuo declared boldly, his tone utterly convinced.

"Give it twenty years—no, ten! And you’ll be more qualified than anyone to weigh in! You’ll become a seasoned—foot!"

Jiang Tingbai: "..."

He wasn’t particularly eager for such qualifications.

Clearing his throat, Jiang Tingbai stopped refilling his cup and rose to his feet. "Brother Chu, you’re drunk. Let’s call it a night."

Chu Tiankuo nodded, gathering his focus before exhaling a long, liquor-laden breath. The drunken haze in his eyes faded slightly.

Returning to their earlier topic, he mused unconsciously, "Your junior sister... she’s clever, adorable, brave, and capable... In all the world, she’s probably just the tiniest bit inferior to my own junior sister..." ƒrēewebnoѵёl.cσm

"Brother Chu." Jiang Tingbai cut him off smoothly.

"My junior sister has been brilliant since childhood. Before she could walk, she was already crafting artifacts. Before she could shapeshift, she was already sharing profits with her senior brother... Under heaven, there may truly be no girl more intelligent or quick-witted than her."

"..."

Chu Tiankuo fell silent, locking eyes with Jiang Tingbai.

In that gaze, it was as if two blades crossed—

The unyielding force of a sword from the east clashing against the vast renewal of spring, sparks of lightning crackling between them.

Chu Tiankuo suddenly bellowed like a rallying cry: "Tao Tao is the most adorable in the world!"

Jiang Tingbai smiled gently, his tone soft but unwavering. "Luoyue’s brilliance is unmatched in this era."

Another tense silence followed.

As if responding to some unspoken signal, Chu Tiankuo laughed drunkenly and drew his sword.

"That duel eighty years ago—with all those spectators pointing and commenting—it never felt quite satisfying enough."

Jiang Tingbai rested a hand on his own hilt, his demeanor calm yet tinged with wine.

"Coincidentally, I was just thinking that Brother Chu isn’t too drunk right now... at least not too drunk to draw his sword."

Chu Tiankuo threw his head back with a laugh. "In that case, why don’t we—"

"Wait, Brother Chu." Jiang Tingbai stopped him cautiously.

"I’m currently... lacking in worldly possessions. So, if we end up demolishing this tavern mid-fight, how much would you be willing to compensate?"

Chu Tiankuo: "..."

He swallowed hard.

"After eighty years of perseverance... my savings aren’t exactly plentiful either..."

Hell, when posting rewards, he even had to list the short sword and scabbard separately.

Jiang Tingbai looked at Chu Tiankuo. Chu Tiankuo looked at Jiang Tingbai.

Under the moonlit night, two equally impoverished swordsmen sighed in unison.

"Let’s just... find somewhere desolate."

"Right. Somewhere we won’t have to pay for damages."

"Brother Chu, you’re being too blunt."

"I’ve got an even blunter question, and Brother Jiang, you’ll have to hear it."

"What is it?"

After a moment of solemn deliberation, Chu Tiankuo asked, "Do you think... before they left us behind to rest... they settled the tavern bill?"

Jiang Tingbai: "They probably did... probably."