Dao Companion Crippled, Coveters Move

Chapter 427 413: Lu Ruoxi's Confession and Lament

Pei Yuhang looked at the trembling, deathly pale Lu Ruoxi, his brows knitting slightly.

'Senior Sister's condition... something isn't right!'

The intuition of a Void Refining Cultivator could sometimes reach a point where it resonated with the Dao itself.

Pei Yuhang now had a premonition: his Dao Companion could not provoke Lu Ruoxi any further.

Otherwise, something terrible would happen!

"Liyuan."

Pei Yuhang spoke with a serious tone, causing Fairy Ye, who had been trying to persuade Lu Ruoxi to speak of her troubles, to freeze on the spot.

"What's wrong, Ah Han?"

Ye Liyuan rarely saw Pei Yuhang look so earnest and serious, but she trusted Ah Han's judgment and would not question her Dao Companion.

For a moment, she didn't banter with him playfully as she usually would. Instead, she obediently moved away from her Senior Sister and sat down meekly beside Pei Yuhang.

"Don't put any more pressure on Senior Sister. The main reason we came this time was to visit her and cheer her up."

Pei Yuhang squeezed his Dao Companion's small hand under the table, and Ye Liyuan realized her own gaffe.

She looked at the pale-faced Lu Ruoxi opposite them, a sense of guilt rising in her heart.

"I'm sorry, Senior Sister. I was just too worried about you, and I got a little carried away... I didn't mean to pressure you."

By now, Lu Ruoxi had managed to calm herself down somewhat.

She shook her head gently, her long, dark hair sweeping messily across her cheeks with the movement.

"It's fine..."

The three of them in the pavilion fell into a silent stillness once more.

Ye Liyuan felt uncomfortable, unable to adapt to the oppressive atmosphere.

'Seeing Senior Sister should have been a happy occasion, so why did it turn out like this... Was it me? Was I too tactless?'

'I knew Senior Sister was in pain, but I still had to push her for answers...'

Ye Liyuan was suddenly overcome with immense guilt toward her Senior Sister. She hesitated for a moment, then stood up and said to Pei Yuhang beside her:

"Ah Han, you're more rational than I am. Why don't you try to console Senior Sister for me?"

"I also need to go out and cool my head."

"?"

'Liyuan, are you saying you want me to be alone with Senior Sister?'

'But I'm the reason she's become so despondent!'

But Fairy Ye was quick to leave. Before Pei Yuhang could say a word, she was already walking away.

"..."

In the pavilion, Pei Yuhang and Lu Ruoxi met each other's gaze for a second before looking down, a flash of awkwardness crossing both their faces.

「A moment later.」

Pei Yuhang probably decided that it was better to have an open conversation than to continue this meaningless silence.

He lifted his gaze slightly, his eyes falling on Lu Ruoxi's rather pale face, and took the initiative to speak. "Senior Sister, you've been drinking a lot lately, haven't you."

"You shouldn't binge drink anymore. Although with your Cultivation, it won't ruin your body, it's not good for your Essence, Qi, and Spirit."

Pei Yuhang's voice was calm, exposing the embarrassing truth Lu Ruoxi had wanted to hide.

Lu Ruoxi's fingertips trembled, and she looked down, feeling a pang of guilt.

Her somewhat dry lips quivered as she asked in a small voice, "Junior Brother, are you concerned about me?"

But before Pei Yuhang could answer, she gave a self-deprecating laugh.

"No, of course not. Because, Junior Brother Pei... you already know my despicable true nature."

"I..."

Lu Ruoxi wanted to say, 'No one will ever care about me again; I've lost the right to be loved,' but she felt that saying so would be like playing the victim to Pei Yuhang, emotionally blackmailing him.

Even though she knew her image in Pei Yuhang's heart was already shattered, she still didn't want Junior Brother Pei to think of her as hypocritical and scheming, even now.

So, Lu Ruoxi fell silent for a moment before finally saying mournfully:

"Whether I indulge myself or strive to advance, it's all meaningless now."

"Since that's the case, I might as well choose a happier way to live..."

"Then has drinking all this time made you happy, Senior Sister?" Pei Yuhang suddenly cut her off, his voice carrying a sharp edge.

"..."

Lu Ruoxi was at a loss for words.

Even in her drunken stupor, she was often plagued by nightmares, dreaming of the day Lin Qianyan had judged her for her filthy crimes in front of Pei Yuhang.

This left her mind in turmoil, living in constant fear.

She was not happy.

"Senior Sister, for the curse you placed on me, for the terrible things you did while I was unconscious... I will not forgive you."

Pei Yuhang spoke suddenly, his words like a dull knife, slowly and cruelly plunging into Lu Ruoxi's heart.

Hearing this, the dam of suppression in Lu Ruoxi's heart broke completely. Tears welled in her eyes as she silently bit her lip, not even realizing she had drawn blood.

She wasn't surprised by Pei Yuhang's words, nor had she ever dreamed he would forgive her.

'I deserve this punishment.'

But why?

When those words actually came from Pei Yuhang's mouth, she still felt as if her organs were being violently squeezed, and even breathing was a dull, aching pain.

Just as Lu Ruoxi was on the verge of suffocating,

Pei Yuhang's voice suddenly softened a little.

"However, I still hope you can rediscover your original motivation for cultivating the Dao, instead of continuing this decline."

"Even if you are... that kind of hypocritical, sick woman, you are still Liyuan's and my Senior Sister."

"On that point, both Liyuan and I hope you can live a better life."

It was as if she could hear a crisp, shattering sound from within her heart.

Lu Ruoxi's mental defenses completely collapsed.

Her shoulders trembled violently, as if all her strength had been drained in an instant. No longer able to support her own weight, she slumped bonelessly onto the table.

Her tears finally broke free, falling in large drops that splattered onto the tabletop, spreading into dark wet patches. Her sobs were stifled and broken, like a forsaken cub, curled up and trembling as she repeated over and over:

"I... I'm sorry..."

"I was wrong... Senior Sister was wrong..."

Her fingertips dug into her sleeves, her knuckles turning white from the force, as if only this could keep her from completely falling apart.

...

...

When Pei Yuhang left the stone pavilion, a soft figure immediately threw herself into his arms.

"Ah Han, how is Senior Sister?"

"She's much better now... But she still has a heavy heart. We can only let her process it on her own."

Pei Yuhang gently stroked the top of Ye Liyuan's head and said softly, "Let's go for now. We shouldn't disturb Senior Sister at the moment."

"...Mmm."

Ye Liyuan nestled in her lover's embrace and nodded lightly.

The two of them walked out of the Dan Yun Pavilion and were about to leave by Sword Control when a beautiful woman with a mature, graceful figure approached them.

The beautiful woman wore a goose-yellow ruqun, but her features were somewhat stern, not gentle. The Little Pill Boys following her all had their heads bowed, not daring to speak, respectfully keeping a distance of three paces behind her.

At her waist hung an Elder Order forged from Profound Iron, upon which her name, "Huang Wanshi," was engraved.

Pei Yuhang had his arm around Ye Liyuan as they passed by Huang Wanshi. Neither of them paid any mind to this new Elder of the Dan Yun Pavilion who had replaced Lu Ruoxi.

But just then, a smile played on Huang Wanshi's red lips.

She took a deep look at Ye Liyuan, who was held in Pei Yuhang's embrace, then withdrew her gaze and turned to Pei Yuhang to greet him.

"Palace Master Pei, congratulations on your recent breakthrough to the Void Refining Cultivation. To have such an achievement at such a young age, you are truly a pillar of our Dao Sect."

Pei Yuhang frowned slightly at being suddenly addressed by this strange woman.

Nothing good ever came of it when a woman hit on him.

Besides, Senior Sister had told him not to get involved with this woman. Although Pei Yuhang didn't know the reason, he chose to listen to his Senior Sister this once.

"It's nothing worth mentioning... Elder Huang, I have some matters to attend to, so I'll be taking my leave with my Dao Companion now."

Pei Yuhang nodded and prepared to leave.

Sensing Pei Yuhang's aloofness, Huang Wanshi wasn't offended.

"Mmm, in that case, Palace Master Pei, we'll be seeing each other again~"

Huang Wanshi gave him a playful wave and took her leave. All the while, the Little Pill Boys behind her didn't dare to raise their heads.

Ye Liyuan, who had been silent the whole time, watched her leave with displeasure. After she was gone, she glanced at her curvaceous departing figure and muttered under her breath:

"Hmph! Who wants to see a sultry fox like you again! The way she sways her hips, you'd think she was trying to reach the heavens!"