Chapter 121: The Exchange Between Us
After bidding farewell to Consort Xian, He Yu returned to the Autumn Cutting Pavilion, only to find two new figures in the otherwise desolate chamber.
One was a woman dressed in green, facing the window with her back to the others. She exuded an air of cold aloofness, as if a spirit had stepped out from a bamboo grove. Her hair was silky and fine, her skin flawless and delicate, her eyes cool and clear, her features graceful—a rare beauty, suffused with an ethereal elegance.
Yet, compared to the woman He Yu had previously encountered, this one seemed somewhat less striking.
“Why does she remind me of the woman I saw at the dance? Strange... I should first check on Feng Nuan,” He Yu murmured, shaking her head before turning her gaze elsewhere.
In the corner sat a little maid, obedient and silent on a nearby rug, her eyes betraying a flicker of fear.
Seeing this, He Yu approached the girl cautiously, intending to help her up.
“Don’t touch her!”
He Yu turned towards the voice and saw the green-clad woman now facing them, her expression cold and unyielding. Her eyes were icy, radiating a chill that brooked no refusal.
“May I ask why?”
“She’s been poisoned with a Gu venom!”
Startled, He Yu examined the girl carefully. Beneath her skin flowed darkened blood, her veins pulsating with erratic patterns. “Who… who poisoned you?”
The girl shook her head, fear and confusion mingling in her expression, yet beneath it all lay a fragile hope.
“You’re Feng Nuan? The younger sister of General Feng Xing?”
The girl nodded, her excitement shining through. “Sister, do you know my brother?”
He Yu was taken aback, then smiled gently. “I do. I’ll take you to see him soon, alright?”
Feng Nuan nodded happily, her earlier terror completely vanished.
Seeing this, He Yu felt a mixture of anxiety and pity. After comforting Feng Nuan, she turned and asked, “Is there a cure?”
“Aren’t you the most skilled healer among mortals? Don’t you know how dangerous Gu venom is?”
At that moment, a feathered dove flew in and settled into the green-clad woman’s hand before vanishing.
This was a transformation spell unique to Bai Yu, allowing her to manage her doves discreetly during her days away from the mountain.
“What are you staring at?” Bai Yu cast a cold, indifferent glance at the two surprised women, then diverted their gaze.
He Yu lowered her voice. “We won’t disturb or judge. Please tell us how to counter the Gu venom.”
Bai Yu snorted coldly. “A cure? Aren’t you supposed to be the healer? Why ask me?”
“Gu venom requires knowing the method or catalyst of its injection. If I know either, I can undo the poison. When you rescued her, did you notice any clues?”
Bai Yu shook her head, standing aloof. “No one was there when I arrived.”
“No one? Where?”
“In an abandoned temple outside the city. She must have been left to die from the poison’s effects, but I saved her just in time.”
He Yu glanced at Bai Yu, startled by her cold composure, yet dared not press further. More than Feng Nuan’s life, what she truly desired was Bai Yu’s help to aid Liu Li through the crisis. Still, the healer within He Yu ached deeply.
“Saving her now only means years of pain. Why act so rashly? Why not wait for me to find a cure before treatment?”
Bai Yu smiled softly. “Would you prefer to see her corpse instead?”
Their words crossed sharply, but Feng Nuan’s voice gently broke the tension.
“Sister, please don’t blame her. She only wants what’s best for me. Without her, I would have died already.”
He Yu nodded, worry furrowing her brow as she opened her medicine cabinet, searching for herbs to soothe Feng Nuan’s pain at least.
Seeing this, Bai Yu asked coldly, “Is there anything else? If not, I’m leaving—I have other matters to attend.”
“Please wait a moment, I’ll fetch some things.”
Bai Yu smiled coldly, fixing Feng Nuan with a sharp gaze. “This girl only wants to see her brother once. Why trouble yourself so much?”
“Do you expect her to endure the pain afterward? How can her brother find peace knowing this?”
“You’re not truly concerned for the siblings, are you?”
He Yu, taken aback, answered with a hint of anger as she continued to prepare medicine. “Don’t use your status to pry into hearts. What meaning is there in such divination?”
“I am a cultivator, yes, but also a righteous one. How could I seek to spy on hearts? The human mind is the most complex realm. Few can dedicate themselves to this path; the Lanxin Pavilion is one. I only speak what you reveal—appearance reflects the heart. Didn’t you know that?”
He Yu’s patience snapped. Turning, she glared fiercely. “I summoned you to help, not to bicker. Aren’t Tianshan disciples known for caution and secrecy? Why now this barrage of meaningless words? Do you have so many thoughts about me at this moment?”
Bai Yu sat down with amused interest, smiling at He Yu’s anger. For some reason, she wanted to tease He Yu, for she was the first to understand her thoughts.
“Tianshan disciples shouldn’t mingle much with mortals, but since I oversee communications, I’m naturally more approachable. Or do you prefer the cold, distant me?”
He Yu glanced sideways with a smile. “Whether you talk much or little, it’s all about the matter at hand. If only you spoke this freely during serious affairs!”
“Fine, as you wish! But don’t lump me with those others who came down before. They came for the epidemic and had bonds with the girl, but I am not like them.”
He Yu smiled inwardly, sensing Bai Yu’s sensitivity—perhaps tensions ran deep with her fellow disciples. How intriguing.
“Sharing the same Tianshan lineage yet eager to disassociate over others’ good deeds? So you didn’t come down willingly? Is your relationship with your clan so strained?”
Bai Yu’s eyes flickered with anger. How dare a mere mortal speak so arrogantly? Who did she think she was? Speaking of clan relations, this time Bai Yu had uncovered many secrets. The people of Xuizhu were in for a storm.
He Yu noticed Bai Yu’s silence and whispered a smile, “I guessed right after all.”
Seeing He Yu’s smile, Bai Yu lost interest and replied coldly, “Don’t let your imagination run wild. Focus on your task. I give you half an hour.”
He Yu laughed proudly, thinking: With such thoughts, it’s no wonder. Were I to meet her in the palace, I’d be angry too. If she appeared before the emperor again, jealousy would consume me. Luckily, it’s you who descended. You are reluctant, but I am pleased and satisfied.
As He Yu busied herself, Bai Yu’s thoughts drifted far away, her gaze lingering on the imperial palace and the recent events.
Bai Yu had sought out the High Priest Mufan, discussed some matters, then deliberated on a strategy.
“According to you, the case of Consort Shu was not caused by demons but was deliberate. Yet someone seems intent on turning the tide. Is that Senior Brother?”
“Yes. Without Senior Brother's intervention, the emperor would have been framed. The palace is treacherous; we must proceed cautiously. The Feng Xing case is complicated—this Gu venom seems like demonic handiwork. If he’s involved, nothing in the palace can be taken lightly. What does Senior Sister plan to do?”
“I now know all about Consort Shu’s situation. My goal is to help He Yu fulfill her wish. Since she wants to protect the emperor, and this person must be guarded by Tianshan, I have a duty to act.”
Bai Yu smiled sweetly in her heart: Unexpectedly, I am doing the same as Senior Brother. He has helped him several times to avert crises; I will do the same for you.
Mufan blinked, then asked quietly, “Senior Sister, how do you intend to protect him?”
“Hm?” Bai Yu returned to the present, removing her awkward smile. “Would protecting a mortal be difficult?”
“How do you plan to proceed? The Red Star and Divine Pearl are real and not easily transferred or replaced. If you want to switch identities to confuse watchers, the substitute must be of noble royal blood.”
Bai Yu nodded. “Indeed. Do you have any divinations on who might possess such a strong masculine fate? They asked me to help, so first I must find someone. I haven’t even begun yet.”
“That I can assist with, as I am the High Priest. Soon, with our combined power atop this altar, we will have the answer. What happens next is up to you.”