Bai Shuo shook her head. “A-Zhao was young, barely more than a child, and he lost his entire family in one night. If I had told him the truth then, he would have been driven to despair.”
Qing Yi was surprised as he looked at her. Although she had already become an immortal, Bai Shuo had only lived about twenty years. Chong Zhao was young at the time, and Bai Shuo was just as young. Yet she managed to escape with him, leading them both to find sanctuary in the immortal mountains and embark on the path of cultivation. Her resilience and fortitude far surpassed those of many ordinary immortals.
If not for her weak affinity with immortality and her lack of a proper constitution for cultivation, this young woman before him was truly the kind of person suited to achieving the Dao.
At this thought, Qing Yi’s gaze held a trace of pity.
“He remains ignorant of the truth, harboring deep hatred in his heart. It will only fester, becoming an inner demon. Even with cultivation, he may struggle to attain true enlightenment.” Qing Yi shook his head. “You’re smart enough to know that your approach can only save him temporarily.”
“The Dao is eternal, and a mortal life passes in the blink of an eye. I thought that by the time A-Zhao entered the immortal ranks, it would be decades later, and the mortal emperor would have changed countless times. I never imagined…”
“You never imagined that his constitution would be so exceptional that he would attain the rank of Upper Lord within three years, or that he would go so far as to defy heavenly law to assassinate the Ziwei Star?” Qing Yi finished her sentence for her.
Bai Shuo nodded reluctantly.
It was true that she had unintentionally set all of this into motion. Years ago, when they had encountered the mortally wounded Song Feng on Fire Ice Island, Bai Shuo had used her blood essence to save him. To escape, Song Feng had transferred his golden immortal core to Chong Zhao, making it possible for him to ascend to Upper Lord in just a few short years.
“And what about this?” Qing Yi raised his hand, revealing a broken arrow. Seeing Bai Shuo’s surprise, he continued, “This is Cold Spring Palace’s Fu Ling’s Cloudfire Arrow. I found it within the imperial palace’s Dragon Guard Array. If Chong Zhao was only there to avenge his family, why would he have ties to the Demon Clan?”
“It’s not what it seems,” Bai Shuo replied hastily. “When I fled my arranged marriage, A-Zhao left the capital to look for me and ended up rescuing Fu Ling by chance, not knowing she wasn’t human. The Cloudfire Arrow appeared in the Ziwei Star’s palace as a repayment of her debt.”
“I see.”
Qing Yi let out a gentle sigh. He had suspected a hidden collusion between the Immortal and Demon Clans to assassinate the Ziwei Star and disrupt the mortal realm’s fate, but it seemed to have been a misunderstanding.
“Upper Lord Qing Yi, I promise to tell A-Zhao the truth of the Chong family’s fate so that he can release his resentment. I ask you not to inform the Celestial Palace that he was the one who infiltrated the capital and attacked the Ziwei Star,” Bai Shuo pleaded earnestly, looking at Qing Yi.
Qing Yi fell silent. After a while, he moved his hand and stowed the Cloudfire Arrow back into his sleeve. “The Celestial Palace is aware of this incident, and I must give Celestial Seat Jin Yao an explanation.”
Bai Shuo’s face turned pale. “Upper Lord!”
“I will inform Celestial Seat of the full story—that the immortal who attempted to assassinate the Ziwei Star did so purely out of mortal grievances, with no intention of colluding with demons or sowing chaos in the three realms. Mortals and immortals are different, and becoming an immortal is akin to being reborn. If Chong Zhao is willing to let go of his resentment, Daze Mountain is willing to vouch for him. No one will ever know that it was an immortal who attacked the Ziwei Star. From now on, he will simply be a disciple of Miao Miao, the young immortal who turned the tide for the Immortal Clan at the Wutong Martial Banquet, and Celestial Seat Jin Yao’s chosen disciple for spiritual training, Chong Zhao.”
Qing Yi’s words were gentle but resolute, leaving Bai Shuo in stunned silence.
“Upper Lord Qing Yi… you believe everything I just told you?”
"Why wouldn’t I believe you? You have only been in the immortal realm a few years; verifying the truth of this is simple. If you had lied to me, it would have only misled me briefly—what would be the point?”
“Why?”
Seeing her confusion, Qing Yi looked puzzled as well. Bai Shuo murmured, “We have no relation to you, no bonds. Why would you go so far for Chong Zhao…?”
Bai Shuo had already felt immense gratitude simply for Qing Yi choosing not to expose the matter. She never expected him to go as far as vouching for Chong Zhao before Jin Yao in the name of Daze Mountain.
Qing Yi paused, a hint of nostalgia crossing his face as he seemed to recall someone dear.
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