Chapter 512 476: Searching for the Truth About Liyuan

Pei Yuhang's mind was in turmoil.

He leaned down and kissed his Dao Companion's ear, letting out a sigh. "Liyuan, I'm truly exhausted right now. Why don't you go bathe first? I just want to get some sleep."

The color instantly drained from Ye Liyuan's upturned face.

Her thick eyelashes quivered anxiously, and she unconsciously bit down on her lower lip, pressing the rosy flesh until a pale, crescent-shaped mark appeared.

"But, Ah Han, we haven't been intimate in so long..."

Ye Liyuan murmured, but the words died on her lips when she saw the exhaustion in Pei Yuhang's eyes.

"Alright, Ah Han. You should get some rest."

She abruptly released her grip. As she lowered her head, her waterfall of dark hair slid over her shoulder, perfectly concealing the sudden lack of focus in her eyes.

Once she turned her back to Pei Yuhang, all vibrant emotion vanished from her face like a receding tide. Her once-innocent gaze gradually grew vacant.

Inside the bathroom, the Liuli lamp on the wall stretched her shadow long across the floor. A distorted, profound darkness seemed to brew within it.

'Brother Pei... suddenly doesn't love me anymore. He has a secret he's hiding from me.'

'Something has gone wrong with my blissful life as Brother Pei's Dao Companion... I've worked so hard for so long, so why is this happening? Damn it, damn it, damn it...'

'Nangong Jin, I knew I never should have let a jinx like you come back.'

'You must have been spouting some nonsense. You damned bitch, you're bewitching Brother Pei again—'

Ye Liyuan's slender shoulders trembled violently. Her vacant eyes widened, and she looked as if she had lost her soul, muttering curses under her breath.

KNOCK KNOCK—

A soft, slow knock sounded at the door, as if afraid of disturbing someone.

Pei Yuhang's deep voice drifted from outside the door, laced with a hint of hesitation and apology:

"Liyuan."

Ye Liyuan froze. Her previously vacant pupils constricted, as if she had been yanked back to reality by an invisible string.

She blinked, her long lashes fluttering. The darkness in her eyes receded like the tide, replaced once more by a gentle light.

"Oh, what is it, Ah Han?"

Ye Liyuan subconsciously stroked her cheek. It was only when her fingertips met the cold skin that she dazedly realized—

'Weren't I just snuggled in Ah Han's arms a moment ago?'

'How did I end up in front of the bathroom vanity in the blink of an eye!'

She looked at herself in the mirror. Her lips were pale, and a trace of lingering, morbid coldness clung to the corners of her eyes. She felt so...unfamiliar...

But at that moment, she had no time to dwell on such things.

Pei Yuhang's voice was like a warm sunbeam, instantly dispelling the dark undercurrents swirling in her heart.

"Ah Han, you..."

She had just begun to speak when he cut her off.

"Liyuan, first, I want to apologize."

From outside the door, his voice was a little hoarse. He seemed to take a deep breath before continuing:

"Today, you returned to the Divinity Transformation Realm. It should have been a joyous occasion, but I spoiled it for you with my own issues... Thinking back on it, that was my fault."

A tremor went through Ye Liyuan's heart. She pressed her lips together and said softly, "Don't say that about yourself, Ah Han..."

"Liyuan, I've been exhausted these past couple of days, and I might seem a little distant..." His voice faltered, as if he were choosing his words carefully. "Liyuan, can you wait for me to sort out my thoughts?"

"When I do, I'll tell you everything."

"Ah Han, what are you talking about?"

Ye Liyuan shook her head gently, her hair brushing against her shoulders. She said in a soft, coaxing tone, "Whatever you decide, I'll always wait for you and support you."

Pei Yuhang seemed to let out a low chuckle from outside the door. "Mm, thank you, Liyuan," he said warmly.

"No matter what, I love you."

"I love you too, Ah Han."

After they professed their love for one another, the footsteps outside the door gradually faded, eventually disappearing down the corridor.

The smile on Ye Liyuan's face slowly vanished, and the tenderness in her eyes dissipated like a receding tide.

She slowly raised a hand, her fingertips gently tracing her reflection in the mirror.

'Strange... why does the person in the mirror feel so unfamiliar? She's not lovely at all...'

...

...

In the early morning, cool light filtered through the window lattice, spilling onto the side of the bed.

Pei Yuhang slowly opened his eyes. He turned his head, his gaze falling upon his Dao Companion, who was still sound asleep beside him.

Liyuan's face was tranquil in her sleep, her breathing even, as if she were still immersed in a peaceful dream.

Pei Yuhang watched her for a moment, a complex emotion flickering in his eyes. He then rose quietly, his movements feather-light, afraid of disturbing the woman beside him.

His long fingers brushed across the white robe on the rack at the foot of the bed. After draping it on and tying the sash, the fabric fell silently, making Pei Yuhang's upright figure seem all the more cold and solitary.

Stepping out of the room, he was met with a gentle morning breeze that carried a crisp chill.

Pei Yuhang stood in the courtyard and took a deep breath, as if to exhale all the gloom that had gathered in his chest.

His brows knitted slightly and his eyes darkened as his thoughts churned. He had spent all night thinking about Liyuan, and he had managed to organize his thoughts to some extent.

'Regardless... I can't just listen to Junior Sister Nangong's side of the story.'

'I need to find more of our senior and junior sisters who interacted with Liyuan back then. I need to understand the situation!'

Besides, if what Nangong Jin said was true—that Liyuan was truly so calculating and ruthless as to harm her own sect-mates without a second thought—

Then Pei Yuhang felt it was his responsibility to uncover the truth of the past.

'Back when I first joined the Dao Sect, quite a few of my senior and junior sisters pursued me. Although much time has passed, and most of them have either passed on during their cultivation or fallen in the great war between the Righteous and Demonic paths... and many others have vanished without a trace, just as Nangong Jin said. But there are still some who remain in the Dao Sect. I have to find them and ask about that buried past.'

Pei Yuhang took out the list he had written last night and turned to walk out of the courtyard. Though his back was still as straight as a pine, it carried an inexpressible weight.