Chapter 526 483: "Young Master Pei, Let's Make Liyuan Disappear~

In the quiet room, filled with an alchemical fragrance, Lu Ruoxi withdrew her hand. Her brow was furrowed with worry as she looked up at Pei Yuhang, her eyes filled with both concern and confusion.

"Junior Brother Pei, Junior Sister Ye was perfectly fine. How could a Dao Heart Demon suddenly manifest?"

But of course, Pei Yuhang couldn't tell Lu Ruoxi about the massive rift that had formed in his life with his Dao Companion, Liyuan.

'And the root cause of Liyuan's Heart Demon... was me...'

He dropped his gaze, avoiding Lu Ruoxi's eyes, and fell silent, his lips pressed into a thin line.

Lu Ruoxi's eyes flickered. She keenly perceived the complex emotions in Pei Yuhang's gaze and recalled the cold, distant air he'd had about him for the past several days, ever since his meeting with Nangong Jin. A suspicion began to form in her mind.

'But... I'm a changed person now.'

'I don't want to take advantage of this situation to backstab Ye Liyuan or for anything more to happen with Pei Yuhang. The fact that he accepts and relies on me now is more than enough to make me content.'

Lu Ruoxi sighed softly, swallowing the questions she wanted to ask. She gently placed a hand on Pei Yuhang's shoulder and said in a low voice,

"Junior Sister Ye's Dao Foundation was shattered before, after all. Even though she has cultivated back to the Divinity Transformation realm, a wounded Dao Heart is more fragile than an ordinary cultivator's."

"With this backlash from her Heart Demon, if she's agitated again... her life could be in danger. Junior Brother Pei, please take good care of Liyuan. Whatever the issue is, wait until she has recovered to talk about it."

"You must not let Junior Sister Ye be agitated again."

Pei Yuhang's throat worked, and he finally said in a hoarse voice,

"...Alright. I'll take good care of Liyuan."

Lu Ruoxi nodded. As she turned, the hem of her dress swept past the medicine brazier, kicking up a wisp of bitter, blue-green smoke.

She opened the door and said softly before leaving, "Junior Brother, I still have a lot to handle at Dan Yun Pavilion, so I'll head back first. If anything happens with Junior Sister Ye, call me anytime."

"Okay. Thank you, Senior Sister."

CLICK—

The door closed.

The room fell silent once more.

Pei Yuhang slowly sat on the edge of the bed, gazing at his Dao Companion's serene yet pale face.

Thanks to Pei Yuhang's efforts to purify her Qi Sea with his Pure Yang True Qi, along with the precious High Tier Spirit Pill from Lu Ruoxi, Ye Liyuan's aura was no longer in complete disarray.

But she had been gravely ill, and she was still extremely weak.

Pei Yuhang looked at the frost-like pallor that still clung to his Dao Companion's lips. Her long lashes cast gray-blue shadows beneath her eyes, making her seem as fragile as glass, ready to shatter at the slightest touch.

He subconsciously reached out, intending to soothe her forehead, but his hand froze just before touching her cheek. In the end, it dropped limply to his side.

"Liyuan... can we still walk this path together?"

"Your feelings for me are impure, and the body and love I've given you are tainted."

"Maybe... we haven't been proper Dao Companions for a long time... Please, wake up, Liyuan."

Pei Yuhang's voice was a mere whisper, like snow falling on dying embers, vanishing in an instant.

As if in a trance, Ye Liyuan's eyelashes fluttered, but she did not wake.

Pei Yuhang gazed at her haggard face, then reached out with his large, slender hand and completely enveloped Liyuan's small, cold one.

He silently warmed it with his own body heat.

Only when some warmth had finally returned to Ye Liyuan's fingertips did Pei Yuhang stand up and gently tuck the blanket around her.

His long fingers carefully tucked the edge of the blanket along her neck before brushing aside a few strands of hair that had fallen across her cheek.

After doing all this, he patted the sword at his waist, his tone suddenly becoming much more casual. "Bai Jingjing, get out here and work."

The Silent Sword HUMMED twice, and its snow-white tassel swayed in an arc of displeasure.

A resentful female voice, tinged with obvious hurt, drifted from the sword:

"Pei Yuhang, why are you so gentle with other women, but so high and mighty with me!"

"What's wrong with a master giving his Sword Spirit orders?"

The sword's body BUZZED more intensely, and Bai Jingjing's voice rose. "Don't Sword Spirits have rights?!"

"You're not a person. Now stop talking nonsense and get out here!"

Pei Yuhang flicked the scabbard nonchalantly.

"..."

The Silent Sword suddenly fell quiet. After a long moment, a muffled huff sounded from it. The tassel drooped listlessly, looking for all the world like a pouting little girl.

...

...

After ordering Bai Jingjing to stand guard and watch over the gravely ill Ye Liyuan, Pei Yuhang went to the kitchen to brew medicine for his Dao Companion.

But at that very moment, a delicate fragrance wafted toward him from behind.

Pei Yuhang felt a warm, smooth body press tightly against his back.

Shang Miaoyan's pliant body clung to him as if she were boneless. A pair of fair arms snaked around his neck, and her slender fingers drew circles on his chest, toying with his heartstrings.

"Xiaoxuan, let go. I need to brew the medicine."

Pei Yuhang's voice was low as he tried to pry her hands away, but she just buried her face in the crook of his neck and nuzzled him coquettishly.

Shang Miaoyan rested her chin lightly on Pei Yuhang's shoulder, her breath as fragrant as an orchid. "Yuhang... why are you brewing medicine for her? She clearly wronged you and made you so miserable."

Pei Yuhang's hands paused. The fire from the stove cast a red glow on one half of his face, leaving the other shrouded in shadow.

He was silent for a moment, his throat working. "I can't just ignore Liyuan right now."

"Then, Yuhang—" Shang Miaoyan's fingertip slid lightly across his chest as she spoke. "Does this mean you've forgiven that woman?"

When Pei Yuhang didn't respond immediately, she suddenly moved closer, her red lips almost brushing against his earlobe. "Are you just going to completely ignore the pain she caused you?"

BUBBLE BUBBLE~

The medicine pot on the stove bubbled restlessly, and hot steam billowed up between them.