Dao Companion Crippled, Coveters Move

Chapter 416 402: "Pei Yuhang, you've made my life miserable... You have to take care of me!

"Ah Han, Senior Sister doesn't visit me anymore, Sister Miaoyan doesn't chat with me, and Sister Qianqian has gone home."

Ye Liyuan lay on her side on a bed spread with Cloud Pattern Brocade. Bored, she used magic to conjure one bubble after another, only to pop them with her fingertip.

"Why have all my sisters, the ones who were so close to me, all left recently?

Ah Han, do you have any idea why? Did I... Did I do something wrong recently...?"

She rolled over to look at Pei Yuhang beside her. The brocade quilt slid halfway down, revealing her slender waist. Her pretty face was full of grievance, her cheeks puffed out in a pout.

"Of course not, Liyuan. Senior Sister, Shang Miaoyan, and Qianqian are all very fond of you. They're just overwhelmed with their own affairs, it can't be helped."

Pei Yuhang, who had been leaning against the headboard reading a scripture, paused. He gently stroked the top of his Dao Companion's head to comfort her.

But he still felt a strange sense of unease. It left a bad taste in his mouth.

He could set aside the matter of Lu Ruoxi and Shang Miaoyan for now, but he knew he would have to confess to Liyuan about Qianqian one day.

In truth, Ye Liyuan was very clever... yes, Liyuan was a clever Fairy.

She was simply so well-protected by Pei Yuhang that whenever a problem arose, she could just let her Ah Han worry about it for her.

'Once I confess to her about Qianqian, Liyuan is smart enough that she might be able to piece together all the clues from the past on her own.'

'And she would finally realize that all her closest friends were actually terrible women who were betraying her.'

'I wonder if, when that happens, Liyuan will still be able to accept her so-called best friends...'

Pei Yuhang let out a soft sigh, unable to quell the anxiety in his heart.

'The more fond his Dao Companion is of Qianqian now, the greater the shock will likely be when she learns of the betrayal.'

'How... can I drop a subtle hint?'

'If Liyuan has some mental preparation, maybe the blow won't be so devastating.'

'But then again, that might hurt her as well...'

Pei Yuhang pressed his lips together, feeling that this was a daunting task.

Suddenly, the Transmission Token at his waist vibrated slightly, and a strand of Divine Sense entered Pei Yuhang's mind.

"Pei Yuhang... come to the back mountain..."

The voice, somewhat hoarse and cold, was undoubtedly Jiu's. Yet, the ends of her words trembled slightly, as if she were desperately holding back some kind of pain.

It was a stark contrast to the composure and stubbornness she usually showed when communicating with Pei Yuhang, now revealing a hint of weakness and urgency.

Pei Yuhang raised an eyebrow, a sense of unease stirring within him.

'That girl... Don't tell me Shang Miaoyan found out she was secretly feeding me information!'

Pei Yuhang got out of bed, and Ye Liyuan asked in confusion from her spot on the mattress:

"What's wrong, Ah Han?"

"A friend of mine... has an emergency. I have to go check on them."

Hearing this, Ye Liyuan didn't press him about who this friend was, as many women might have. She simply nodded, her expression worried.

She had an almost unbelievable amount of trust in Pei Yuhang. No matter what Ah Han said, she would believe him unconditionally.

For Ye Liyuan believed that if she couldn't even trust Ah Han in this world, then there was no one left worth trusting.

"Then you should hurry over, Ah Han."

"Mm."

Pei Yuhang answered softly, then opened the door and walked out into the wind and snow.

'Jiu, where on the back mountain are you?'

Pei Yuhang asked, but received no reply.

This made Pei Yuhang even more anxious.

He rose into the air with Sword Control, and once he was above the Cold Palace Sword Mansion, he blanketed the entire back mountain with his Divine Sense.

After a careful search through the vast, falling snow and dense pine forest, Pei Yuhang finally located a faint aura on the bank of a stream formed by melting ice.

He immediately used Sword Control to dive toward it.

Finally, amidst a blanket of white snow, he found a figure wrapped in a black cloak.

On the bank was a trail of bloodstained footprints. It was clear that Jiu's injuries were severe.

Sensing her increasingly faint breaths, Pei Yuhang didn't hesitate. He immediately stepped forward and infused his Pure Yang True Qi into her body.

HISS—

Unexpectedly, black smoke began to rise from Jiu's body. The smoke repelled the Pure Yang True Qi he was channeling into her, reducing its healing effect to less than a third of its potential.

'Poisoned...?'

Pei Yuhang's brow furrowed. His fingers rested on Jiu's slender wrist, feeling her chaotic pulse. He pressed his thin lips into a firm line, a flicker of frustration in his eyes.

Unable to neutralize the poison for Jiu on the spot, he had no choice but to gather her into his arms and fly toward a deserted wooden cabin on the back mountain to take shelter from the storm.

"So... so cold."

Jiu's pale fingers suddenly clenched his collar, her knuckles turning white from the force, as if she were grasping her last lifeline.

Pei Yuhang lowered his head and saw that the mask on Jiu's face, the one branded with the Red Lotus Pattern, was covered in cracks.

A corner of Jiu's mask had shattered, revealing her closed eyelid and a short sweep of long lashes. In the Moonlight, the patch of exposed skin was so pale it was almost translucent, allowing him to see the faint blue veins beneath.

Looking at the sliver of her face, Pei Yuhang subconsciously thought, 'Jiu is actually rather beautiful.'

'But still... why does she look a little familiar?'

Pei Yuhang's breath hitched. On some unseen impulse, he raised his hand, his fingertips hovering over the edge of the mask. With just a light flick, he could see the face that had been hidden for so many years...

"Ngh..."

Jiu suddenly let out a pained groan, her body beginning to tremble violently in his arms.

As if jolted from a dream, Pei Yuhang snatched his hand back, his throat working as he swallowed.

'This woman seems to really value her mask. I shouldn't try to take it off without her permission.'

'After all, she's only in this mess because of me.'

'I have no desire to take advantage of her.'

The wind howled, whipping snowflakes past them. Pei Yuhang held the woman in his arms a little tighter and quickened his pace, speeding toward the cabin in the mountains.

...

...

CRACKLE—

The crackling of the fire brought Jiu slowly back to consciousness.

She dazedly touched her face, and upon confirming that her mask was still on, she relaxed slightly.

She sat up instinctively, and the small blanket covering her slid from her shoulders.

A sudden chill hit her skin. She gasped, covering her pale body.

"You're awake."

Pei Yuhang walked into the room and placed a fresh set of clothes in front of her.

"Put these on. Your old clothes were completely soaked in blood. They smell awful, so I doubt you want to wear them again."

Jiu clutched the clothes Pei Yuhang had tossed her. The part of her slender, pale neck not hidden by the mask flushed a cherry pink. Her voice was wary, yet tinged with unavoidable shyness.

"You! How could you undress me!"

Pei Yuhang felt a flash of annoyance at her accusation.

"Miss Jiu, you were the one who asked me to come to the back mountain to save you."

"I saved your life and went to great lengths to drive out the poison, and you're going to repay me by making false accusations?"

"..."

Jiu was struck speechless.

She lowered her head. After a long moment, she said stubbornly in a small voice, "But it's still your fault."

"The Holy Daughter found out about my secret correspondence with you."

"I nearly died getting away... In any case, I can't go back to the Yin Yang Sacred Land. I'm homeless now."

Jiu raised her head, her beautiful, unmasked eyes staring intently at Pei Yuhang.

"As compensation, you'll have to take care of me."