Xue Mingyuan?
Yu Yi examined his expression and hesitantly asked, "Are you... Xue Mingyuan?"
The man's eyes flickered slightly, and his face blossomed like a flower opening in the spring breeze as he smiled radiantly, "You still remember me."
His smile was beautiful, making one feel as if basking in the warmth of spring. Although he spoke without excessive excitement, his calm and gentle voice seemed to convey his happiness and delight in every word.
It was clearly the same person, with the same facial features, yet at this moment, he appeared completely different to Yu Yi's eyes.
Strangely, there were still traces of Xue Chenjing's tears on his face, and blood stains on his cheek and chin. When he looked up at her, there was still a hint of pitiful vulnerability lingering in the corners of his eyes and brows.
The blue flame suddenly flickered, causing the light and shadows to dance across his face.
Yu Yi abruptly closed her eyes, her gaze drifting away from his face to her unsteady sword flame. She struggled to regain her composure, and only then did the blue flame stabilize once more.
Xue Mingyuan's eyes twinkled with a smile, and he tactfully refrained from mentioning the fluctuation in her sword flame. He lowered his eyelashes slightly, glancing at her neck, and said, "I'm sorry, did Chenjing hurt you?"
Feeling somewhat awkward in Xue Mingyuan's presence, Yu Yi stepped back a few paces before replying, "No."
"That's good." Xue Mingyuan let out a small sigh of relief. Just as he was about to speak again, there was a sudden, violent knocking at the door, causing the sword light barrier Yu Yi had placed in the room to tremble.
Both of them tensed, looking towards the door. Xue Mingyuan stood up and took two steps forward, intentionally or unintentionally shielding Yu Yi behind him, and asked, "Who's knocking?"
The person outside replied gruffly, "Yinzhou City patrol. A demon has infiltrated the city, and we're conducting a search of this area. Please open the door immediately."
Upon hearing this, Yu Yi walked to the window and pushed it half open. Outside, the lights in this area had all brightened again, and beneath the night sky, she could see the flickering light of a barrier enclosing several nearby blocks.
This area was precisely where the Door God had been searching for demonic aura earlier.
Yu Yi knew the situation was dire and turned back to ask, "Do you want to find a place to hide?"
Xue Mingyuan shook his head, using magic to summon a lamp from her room and light it, placing it on the barely intact table by the wall. He then called out loudly, "Just a moment, please."
Afterwards, he came over and bent down to place a pair of shoes by her feet. They were white satin shoes embroidered with light pink peach blossoms - Yu Yi's embroidered shoes that she had left on the footstool in her room.
He straightened up and casually pulled an outer robe from a clothes hanger, draping it over her shoulders. He adjusted the collar to cover the marks on her neck left by the tentacles, and said softly, "It's alright. Put on your shoes and go back to your room to get dressed properly. Withdraw your Green Bamboo Sword, and I'll go open the door."
Watching his series of calm and collected actions, Yu Yi belatedly realized that when she had gotten out of bed, she was only wearing a thin undergarment. The tips of her ears began to burn slightly.
He seemed confident in his ability to deceive them, so Yu Yi nodded and grasped the collar of the outer robe. As he was about to turn to open the door, she quickly reminded him, "Wipe your face."
The room was in complete disarray from Xue Chenjing's tentacles, and Xue Mingyuan looked around but couldn't find a towel or anything to wipe his face with. Yu Yi had no choice but to extend her fingers from beneath the robe, performing a small cleaning spell and gently touching his face.
The spiritual energy flowed over his face like a clear stream. Xue Mingyuan cooperatively closed his eyes, the corners of his mouth unconsciously curling up in a smile filled with complete trust.
The cleaning spell removed all traces of tears and blood from his face. When Xue Mingyuan reopened his eyes, they were as clear and clean as a lake. He said, "Thank you." After a pause, he tentatively called out, "Master? Should I address you this way as well?"
Yu Yi's heart pounded violently twice, almost leaping out of her throat. For some reason, when the word "Master" came from Xue Mingyuan's lips, it made her feel incredibly embarrassed.
With a flushed face and red ears, she waved her hand and said, "No, no! Don't call me that."
Xue Mingyuan chuckled and was about to say something more when another, heavier knock came from outside, accompanied by a warning, "There are cultivators guarding both inside and outside the inn. Don't try any tricks. If you don't open the door, we'll have to break it down."
Yu Yi frowned slightly, glancing at the large hole in the wall. With the people outside being so urgent, she didn't have time to go back and change clothes. She simply grabbed the sash from beside the bed and tied it, making do with wearing his outer robe.
Seeing that she looked presentable enough in his robe, Xue Mingyuan turned around, quickly retying his hair and adjusting his clothes as he walked. He opened the door just before the people outside could force their way in.
Bright light flooded into the room, and Xue Mingyuan stepped back to Yu Yi's side, allowing the patrol to enter. Among those who came in were not only guards and officers, but also cultivators.
Yu Yi looked out from behind Xue Mingyuan's shoulder and was surprised to see Pei Jingchao behind the officers. They both froze for a moment.
Yinzhou was under the jurisdiction of Zhaohua Palace, so the cultivators who came to inspect should have been from Zhaohua Palace. Yu Yi hadn't expected Pei Jingchao to be in charge of Yinzhou City's patrol duties.
As for Pei Jingchao, he was stunned because they were staying in the same room. The outer robe Yu Yi was wearing was clearly a man's style, and the other person was only wearing an inner garment.
The fact that they had taken so long to open the door made it hard not to imagine what they might have been doing inside.
Pei Jingchao's hands, hidden in his sleeves, suddenly clenched tight. His gaze remained fixed on Yu Yi, seeing only her with her hair loose, wrapped in another man's robe. For a moment, he didn't even notice the mess in the room.
It wasn't until the patrol officer asked suspiciously, "What happened in this room?" that attention was drawn to the state of the place.
All the furniture in the room was scattered chaotically in the corners, and the floor was riddled with five or six cracks that looked like they had been pierced by sharp objects.
The most severe damage was to the right wall, which had collapsed into a large hole, almost connecting to another room.
Xue Mingyuan also sensed Pei Jingchao's offensive gaze. He moved a step to the right, his tall figure completely shielding Yu Yi behind him. He replied according to the prepared explanation, "While I was meditating and cultivating, my energy flow went awry for a moment. I couldn't control the spiritual energy and damaged the room. I will compensate the innkeeper for all the damaged items later."
Cultivation?
The two patrol officers exchanged a knowing look, both understanding the insinuation in each other's eyes. Could it be that they were engaging in dual cultivation, given how intense it seemed?
Of course, since they were facing cultivators, they didn't dare to be disrespectful. They turned back to consult the cultivator who had come with them, asking respectfully, "Daoist Shen, please check if there are any traces of demons in this room."
The cultivator who had come with the patrol officers was indeed from Zhaohua Palace, and his status was not low - he was none other than Shen Qingzhi, the senior disciple of Zhaohua Palace.
The Lishan Sword Sect was on good terms with Zhaohua Palace, so naturally, Pei Jingchao also had a good relationship with Shen Qingzhi. Before coming here, he had been a guest at Shen Qingzhi's private residence.
When the Door God was patrolling the skies above Yinzhou City, Pei Jingchao had also received reports from the two cultivators he had sent to keep watch, informing him of the disturbance in this room. That was why he had come along.
Shen Qingzhi nodded and stepped into the room. "I am Shen Qingzhi, a cultivator from Zhaohua Palace. Pardon the intrusion."
After speaking, he took out a round, box-shaped crystal instrument from his sleeve. Inside the instrument, tiny star-like points of light flickered.
Shen Qingzhi drew a symbol on the lid of the box with two fingers, and the lid opened. A swarm of ice-blue butterflies flew out, scattering to various parts of the room.
Yu Yi saw a butterfly land in front of her and asked curiously, "What kind of butterflies are these?"
"Demon-Eating Butterflies," Xue Mingyuan tilted his head slightly and answered her in a low voice. "They feed on demonic aura and can sense even the faintest traces of it. Don't worry, they won't harm cultivators."
Yu Yi watched as the butterfly that had landed on her flew away after a moment. Her brow twitched slightly, and she discreetly shifted her gaze towards the bloodstains Xue Chenjing had left on the bed.
However, the bedding that had been soaked with blood earlier was now clean and spotless, without a trace of evidence.
The glowing butterflies fluttered around the bed but couldn't find any residual demonic aura.
Shen Qingzhi, overhearing their conversation, glanced over and said with a smile, "These Demon-Eating Butterflies are rare and not well-known to most people. I'm surprised that you're aware of them, fellow Daoist."
Xue Mingyuan spoke calmly, "I've only read about it in books. This is the first time I've seen the real thing, and it's truly eye-opening."
A butterfly fluttered down in front of him. Xue Mingyuan casually raised his hand, allowing it to land on his fingertip.
He lowered his gaze to look at the tiny creature on his finger and said with a smile, "I remember the books saying that this type of butterfly is extremely difficult to raise. It appears fragile, but once it encounters a demonic creature, it immediately burrows into its body and doesn't stop until it has completely drained all the blood and flesh."
"That's correct. It took a great deal of effort to cultivate these few," Shen Qingzhi said, his gaze fixed on Xue Mingyuan's hand. He continued conversationally, "It's said that quite a few powerful demons have died at the hands of these butterflies. However, with the world at peace now and no great demons emerging, I haven't been able to verify if it's true."
These butterflies were indeed delicate. Shen Qingzhi couldn't bear to bring them when he left Lishan Sword Sect, missing the opportunity when demonic creatures invaded.
When he heard Pei Jingchao say that the demonic aura in Yinzhou City might be related to the person who destroyed the Weapon Tempering Platform, he excitedly brought the Demon-Eating Butterflies with him.
If he could feed his little butterflies with demonic essence, they would surely grow even more beautiful.
Shen Qingzhi's eyes gleamed with anticipation as he watched his beautiful blue butterfly slowly flap its wings, its long proboscis extending towards the fingertip beneath it.
Everyone's eyes were fixed on Xue Mingyuan's slender fingers. Pei Jingchao secretly gripped the sword at his waist, eagerly waiting for the butterfly's reaction. At the slightest abnormal movement, he was ready to strike Xue Mingyuan down on the spot.
Unfortunately, to everyone's disappointment, the butterfly lingered on Xue Mingyuan's fingertip for a while, sensing nothing, before fluttering away.
It wasn't until the butterfly flew away from his finger that Yu Yi finally released the breath she had been holding.
The veins on the back of Pei Jingchao's hand, which was gripping his spiritual sword, were bulging as he barely suppressed the sword energy within its sheath. But since the Demon-Eating Butterfly hadn't detected any demonic aura, he had no reason to act.
The butterflies toured both rooms thoroughly, ultimately returning to the glass instrument without finding anything.
Shen Qingzhi waved his sleeve to retrieve the glass instrument. He swept his gaze around the room, still seeming suspicious, and asked, "Fellow cultivator, is your spiritual energy fluctuating this severely?"
Xue Mingyuan nodded, "I was about to break through to the next level in my cultivation when I encountered a bottleneck, so it's a bit out of control."
Shen Qingzhi walked up to him and said, "Please release a bit of your spiritual energy."
Xue Mingyuan raised his hand, about to comply and release his spiritual energy, when Yu Yi stepped forward and blocked him with her hand.
She took two steps forward, standing in front of Xue Mingyuan, and asked, "You just released a large swarm of those formidable Demon-Eating Butterflies to investigate both of us separately, and they searched every corner of the room. Did they find any trace of demons or monsters on us?"
Shen Qingzhi looked at her and replied, "No, they didn't."
Yu Yi continued, "If that's the case, why do you still need to probe his spiritual energy? A cultivator's cultivation level and spiritual energy are not things to be casually examined by others. Are you demanding that every cultivator you investigate release their spiritual energy for your inspection?"
It was obvious that this would be impossible. If they dared to make such an unreasonable demand of everyone, the place would have erupted into chaos long ago.
Shen Qingzhi looked somewhat troubled and said, "I... I was being presumptuous."
He gave up on the idea of probing Xue Mingyuan's spiritual energy, but then asked, "By the way, I heard from the innkeeper that the young lady has a crane spirit beast."
Yu Yi was willing to cooperate and said, "Yes, if you want to check, I can summon it immediately."
Shen Qingzhi quickly waved his hand, "No need. Since we haven't found any traces of demons or monsters, we won't disturb you further. Farewell."
At his word, everyone in the room followed him out the door. However, Pei Jingchao lingered for a moment, not leaving, but instead taking a few steps towards Yu Yi.
"Miss Yu, Qingzhi and I are close friends. I happened to be visiting his residence tonight, so I came along. I didn't expect to run into you here. We've disturbed you tonight, but if you don't mind, tomorrow I could..."
Before he could finish, Xue Mingyuan cut him off with a smile, "Investigating for demons and monsters is necessary. This is official business, so it's not a disturbance."
"But it's late now, and it's not appropriate for casual conversation. If you continue to stay here, sir, that would be a disturbance." He reached out and tucked a stray lock of hair behind Yu Yi's ear. "Yi'er, don't you agree?"
His tone was excessively gentle and intimate. Yu Yi glanced at Xue Mingyuan and replied, "Mr. Pei, please take your leave. We need to rest now."
Pei Jingchao looked back and forth between them several times before finally cupping his hands and saying, "Then I won't disturb you further."
As he left the inn, Shen Qingzhi was still waiting outside and curiously asked, "Sigui, why are you only coming out now? From your behavior, it seems you know them?"
Pei Jingchao was in a foul mood and didn't want to say much. He only said, "We've met two or three times before."
"Is that so?" Shen Qingzhi gave him a sidelong glance, his expression unclear as to whether he believed it or not. However, the day hadn't been entirely wasted. That female cultivator did resemble the immortal lady described by the villagers of Ghost City.
He put his hand on Pei Jingchao's shoulder and said, "The Demon-Eating Butterflies couldn't sense any demonic aura from either of them. He's probably not the demon controller you suspected."
Pei Jingchao remained silent. Shen Qingzhi sighed twice and said, "This poor soul still has to go investigate other places. Brother Sigui, do you want to come with me?"
"No, you can busy yourself on your own," Pei Jingchao shook off his hand and vanished in a flash.
Shen Qingzhi tried to grab him but missed. He looked back at the inn, then in the direction Pei Jingchao had left, and smiled slyly.
Back in the inn, Xue Mingyuan closed the door again and explained, "Earlier, when I saw that you didn't seem to like him much, I called you that way to get rid of him quickly. I hope you don't mind."
Yu Yi was nonchalant, "It's fine. It's just a name, you can call me whatever you like."
After all the commotion, she was truly tired and prepared to crawl through the hole back to her own room to rest.
Xue Mingyuan called out to stop her, saying, "Last time, when we were still in Ghost City, thank you for saving me. I thought I'd never have the chance to thank you in person."
Yu Yi looked back at him from the other side of the hole. The melancholy expression on Xue Mingyuan's face quickly disappeared when their eyes met, replaced by a gentle smile.
But the more he tried to appear calm and indifferent, the more it made one curious. When he said he "thought he'd never have the chance," did he mean he couldn't come out freely?
Was it because Xue Chenjing had lost consciousness that he was able to appear this time?
As Yu Yi pondered this, she heard him ask, "I wonder how much time has passed since that day in Ghost City. Is my thanks still considered late?"
"It's only been three or four days," Yu Yi replied. She thought to herself, does this mean that when Xue Chenjing is in control of the body, he can't sense changes in the outside world? Is he constantly trapped in that mountain temple, reliving the same day over and over again?
Yu Yi understood this feeling of confinement all too well. At least during her five years in the Bamboo Grove Secret Realm, she had some freedom. She could see the sky and had Crane Senior Brother for company.
She felt a surge of sympathy for Xue Mingyuan and continued, "You don't need to thank me. If we really calculate it, I should be the one thanking you. It was with your help that I was able to break through the formation. Otherwise, I might have fallen for that old ghost of the Ji family's trick and become a tool for breeding ghost fetuses."
Xue Mingyuan blinked, his eyes twinkling, "Then do you have any plans for tomorrow?"
Yu Yi was caught off guard by his sudden change of topic. After a brief pause, she answered honestly, "I plan to go shopping for some materials for weapon forging, rent a furnace, and temper my spirit sword."
Xue Mingyuan asked hopefully, "If I wake up tomorrow and can still see you, would you allow me to accompany you? Consider it my thanks for helping you break the formation."
The way he put it made it impossible to refuse.
Yu Yi nodded, "Alright."
