The moment the name "Cheng Yi" slipped from Qiu Shi's lips, not only did Tang Ru's brows furrow, but even Song Chengshu and his son Song Yunhe—who had been deeply engrossed in their chess game—paused and turned their attention toward her.
Song Chengshu set down a black piece onto the board with a crisp, measured sound. His sleeve brushed lightly over the chessboard, and in an instant, the scattered pieces returned neatly to their respective boxes, sorted by color.
It was midday, and the sky was veiled by a layer of thin clouds, filtering the sunlight into scattered flecks of gold.
"Little Shi."
Song Chengshu, with his refined and gentle demeanor, exuded an air of quiet authority. He beckoned to Qiu Shi and gestured toward an empty seat beside the stone table. "Come, sit with me. Let’s talk."
Qiu Shi glanced at Tang Ru before obediently taking her place.
When she sat silently with her head bowed, she looked extraordinarily docile.
Had it been Song Yunhe who stirred up such trouble, Song Chengshu would have long since made him kneel in the ancestral hall to reflect on his mistakes. But this was his youngest daughter, the one he had always cradled in the palm of his hand.
When he first heard of the matter, no matter how shocked or angered he was, he could only suppress his emotions, determined to reason with her calmly.
"Your brother has told me everything that happened these past days."
Song Chengshu’s gaze settled on her pale face, and his frown deepened. Without thinking, he echoed Tang Ru’s earlier concern: "Why do you look so unwell?"
As his eyes shifted toward him, Song Yunhe stiffened slightly. "The spirit-gathering formation has already been set up around Baitang Courtyard. It will be fully activated soon. I’ve entrusted Lu Jue with overseeing it."
Only then did Song Chengshu’s furrowed brow ease slightly.
In truth, there was nothing wrong with Qiu Shi’s health. She simply had a delicate frame and eyes that always seemed on the verge of tears, giving her a fragile, ethereal appearance. Even though they knew she was capable of running wild across the realms, Song Chengshu and the others couldn’t help but worry every time they saw that face of hers.
Just before Song Chengshu entered seclusion, Qiu Shi had suffered a backlash while studying the *Demonic Moon Zither Manual*, leaving her cheeks bloodless for nearly a week.
Heartbroken, Song Chengshu had ordered Song Yunhe to arrange the spirit-gathering formation outside Baitang Courtyard. Once fully operational, the spiritual energy within would be three times denser than the outside world, greatly benefiting Qiu Shi—whether for cultivation or recovery.
At the sight of this, Qiu Shi’s heart twisted painfully.
She couldn’t help but wonder—how had they reacted in her dream, when she had left home without hesitation to follow Cheng Yi?
They must have been furious. Heartbroken.
Qiu Shi blinked, then heard Song Chengshu’s voice again: "Little Shi, what exactly is going on between you and that Black Dragon clansman, Cheng Yi?"
His words were stern, but his tone remained gentle, devoid of any outburst.
Song Yunhe and Tang Ru had already braced themselves for Qiu Shi’s sharp retorts, preparing for another headache. Song Yunhe even readied himself to pull her away at any moment.
Qiu Shi hesitated, unsure of where to begin.
Should she confess that she had been provoked into a duel with Yun Xuan? That she had lied to Song Yunhe, claiming she was going to see Qin Donglin, only to rush off to White Cloud Ridge? That instead of settling things with Yun Xuan, she had stumbled into the midst of the ridge master’s heavenly tribulation—and had been saved by Cheng Yi, who then took her back to the Black Dragon Clan?
When she remained silent for too long, Song Chengshu sighed. "Even if you were utterly dissatisfied with Qin Donglin, or with the marriage arrangement your mother and I made, you shouldn’t have handled it this way. You’ve caused an uproar, embarrassing both Liugi Mountain and the main city."
"Setting aside your childhood bond with Donglin, think of Aunt Ruan and Uncle Qin—how much they’ve always doted on you."
By this point, Song Yunhe was fully expecting Qiu Shi to stand up and declare, *"At the end of the day, you’re just using me to maintain ties with Liugi Mountain, ensuring pure bloodlines and solidifying the demon race’s standing in the Six Realms!"* He leaned forward slightly, ready to intercept any outburst before it provoked Song Chengshu’s temper.
Yet, against all expectations, Qiu Shi listened quietly to the end. There was none of the agitation she had shown during her talk with Tang Ru, nor the resistance she had displayed toward him.
Her lips moved faintly before she murmured, "Father… I know I was wrong."
The unexpected apology caught Song Chengshu off guard, cutting off the lecture he had prepared. He shot a questioning glance at Song Yunhe—*This isn’t nearly as bad as you made it out to be. She’s being perfectly reasonable.*
Song Yunhe and Tang Ru exchanged equally surprised looks.
Qiu Shi curled her fingers slightly, then took a breath before meeting their gazes. "Father, what’s between Cheng Yi and me… isn’t what the rumors claim."
"He once saved my life."
Her eyes were clear, her words frank and sincere. "This time, he was gravely injured with nowhere to go. Out of gratitude and duty, I couldn’t abandon him."
Song Chengshu and Tang Ru shared another glance before the latter seized Qiu Shi’s wrist, her willow-leaf brows knitting in concern. "When were you hurt? Where?"
Qiu Shi shook her head, her lips pressed tightly together. When she peeked at Song Yunhe, her guilt was unmistakable. "It was years ago, right after my ten-thousandth birthday."
She recounted the events slowly, and when she mentioned sneaking out to duel Yun Xuan—one of the Heavenly Clan’s three young Immortal Kings—Song Chengshu and Tang Ru’s expressions darkened with worry. Even Song Yunhe tensed, leaning forward.
"...That’s how it happened. Chong Ying and Yun Ying found a chance to bring me back from the Black Dragon Clan. When I returned, I secluded myself in the meditation chamber without seeing anyone. At the time, my brother assumed I was stabilizing my breakthrough and didn’t press for details."
"So you were actually recovering from your injuries in seclusion." Song Yunhe finished for her.
Under the weight of three pairs of eyes, Qiu Shi nodded.
"How could you be so reckless!" Song Chengshu’s voice was low but sharp, his heart still racing at the thought of how close she had come to disaster. "The Heavenly Clan’s three young Immortal Kings are heirs personally trained by their rulers. Even your brother wouldn’t dare face them lightly—how could you throw yourself into such danger?"
Then he turned his glare toward Song Yunhe. "And you! If she told you she was going to see Donglin, how could you just let her go without another thought? Didn’t you notice she never returned?"
Song Yunhe had no defense.
His responsibilities far outweighed Qiu Shi’s—between cultivation and managing the affairs of the sea demon clan, he had little time to spare. And Qiu Shi had always been one to wander freely. With all the protective artifacts she carried, he hadn’t felt the need to monitor her every move.
Now, looking back, his blood ran cold.
Though Qiu Shi knew she had erred, laying out the entire story lifted half the weight from her chest.
"Little Shi," Song Chengshu asked quietly, "are you truly certain you have no feelings for Cheng Yi?"
Tang Ru held Qiu Shi’s hand, hesitating slightly: "About what you said to me earlier…"
At that time, she had spoken with such certainty, openly declaring her affections without reservation.
"Mother, those were just words spoken in anger."
After a pause, Qiu Shi added in a whisper, "But just because I saved someone, the rumors outside spiraled out of control. Even the servants in my courtyard couldn’t keep their tongues in check. And when you didn’t believe me, coming all the way to question me—I lashed out and said those things on purpose."
By the end, her voice had taken on a distinctly aggrieved tone.
Tang Ru sighed softly, recalling the chaos that had left her utterly exhausted. She guided Qiu Shi to sit down and spoke gently: "Neither your father nor I blame you for having feelings for someone. But you shouldn’t have acted so recklessly, especially knowing you’re betrothed. You’ve damaged not only your lifelong friendship with Donglin but also the carefully nurtured relationship between Liugi Mountain and the main city."
"When Aunt Ruan heard about this, she rushed here from Liugi Mountain. Imagine how disappointed she must be."
Tang Ru smoothed Qiu Shi’s flowing hair, then turned to Song Chengshu. "If what Xiao Shi says is true, then we really should save this Cheng Yi."
Song Chengshu clasped his hands behind his back, pacing back and forth near the stone table before finally making a decision: "Have Lu Jue guard Dongheng Courtyard. Use the best medicine and physicians for Cheng Yi. Pass on my word—let him rest assured that Qin Hai’s main city repays its debts to benefactors."
"Yunhe, investigate this matter. Any servant caught spreading rumors is to be severely punished, and the consequences made public as a warning."
"Since Ruan Yuan and Qin Donglin have arrived in Lin’an, I should go meet them personally—both officially and privately—to discuss how to resolve this."
Now that he understood the truth behind the matter, Song Chengshu acted decisively, cutting through the tangled mess with swift, orderly commands.
"Qiu Shi, you’ll come with me to Lin’an."
Finally, he turned to his daughter.
"Alright."
Qiu Shi nodded, her lovely tear-filled eyes flickering with unease for the first time. "How will this be settled in the end?"
"After I speak with Aunt Ruan, we’ll discuss it further."
Song Chengshu couldn’t predict the outcome yet.
Liugi Mountain was the sacred land of the demon race, and Qin Donglin was its future ruler. The stakes here were far higher than their childhood squabbles.
Qiu Shi understood.
Her betrothal to Qin Donglin was likely over.
But as long as relations between the main city and Liugi Mountain remained intact, she and Donglin could part amicably.
He’d been itching to rid himself of this troublesome entanglement for years.
Though given his temperament, even if he wanted to break the engagement, he’d probably throw a fit first.
Qiu Shi’s gaze flickered. She paused mid-step and turned to Song Chengshu. "Father, I’d like to visit Dongheng Courtyard to see Cheng Yi."
Afraid he might refuse, she quickly added, "Brother can come with me."
Song Chengshu waved his hand indulgently, watching as the siblings left the courtyard one after the other. He sighed wistfully. "What a shame…"
"That boy Donglin—his talent is fearsome, his bloodline peerless. Among the demon race, he’s the only young prodigy capable of rivaling the Three Heavenly Princes of the Celestial Clan. Such exceptional potential…"
A pity he wouldn’t become his son-in-law after all.
