The oppressive weight pressing down on her was finally lifted.
Hong Ning let out a long breath. “I see now. He’s only been able to survive because of the spiritual wellspring in this place.”
Bi Qin remained silent for a long while before finally speaking. “His name is Wuling. He is my younger brother. During his tribulation, his soul was damaged, leaving him in this state.”
Hong Ning said, “I was never skilled in geomancy, but today I finally realized—this courtyard is a rare place. The spiritual energy of heaven and earth gathers here. No wonder you refuse to leave.”
She turned her gaze toward the hidden door.
“That must be where the wellspring is. You’ve been living inside, using an illusion to conceal the entrance.
But if someone had paid closer attention, they would have noticed something was off.
The two doors on either side of the courtyard are placed at an unusual distance from each other—too far apart. There should be another room in between.
Unfortunately, none of us thought to check.”
Bi Qin explained, “The wellspring gathers the world’s spiritual energy, allowing me to keep his soul intact for now. But humans are the most spiritually refined of all beings. With too many people living here, the wellspring’s energy became diluted, absorbed by them instead. I had no choice but to act.”
Hong Ning shook her head.
“You killed the house’s original owner so others would think this place was cursed. That way, no one would dare approach. With no master, there would be no one to interfere.”
She sighed. “And every three months, you took human brains… all to sustain him.”
Bi Qin admitted, “The wellspring alone wasn’t enough.”
Hong Ning continued, “Scaring the nearby villagers was fine, but too many incidents would attract attention. That’s why you traveled a hundred miles away to Dingzhou and Mingzhou to commit your crimes. No one would ever suspect the culprit was hiding in a place so far removed. This way, you could continue living here without disturbance.”
Bi Qin said, “Yang Zhen is a man of great fortune. If anything happened to him here, it would bring serious trouble. I never intended to harm him.
But I could tell you weren’t an ordinary person. If you stayed, you might interfere.
So I killed one of his men and staged the scene to make it look like an encounter with a ghostly seductress. I wanted him to suspect you, take you away, and deal with you himself.”
At this point, even Bi Qin’s handsome face showed a hint of embarrassment.
He cleared his throat lightly, his voice carrying an unspoken regret.
“Who knew that instead of suspecting you, he would believe you instead? And then he refused to leave.”
“With so many people occupying the courtyard, Wuling could no longer absorb the wellspring’s energy. That night, I had no choice but to drive him away by angering him.”
So he hadn’t truly been interested in men—he just hadn’t dared to provoke Yang Zhen directly and had used that method to push him away.
Hong Ning suddenly understood.
“But he still refused to leave, so you had no choice but to try pleading with him instead.”
Bi Qin nodded.
Hong Ning said, “You may not have meant to do evil, but you have already fallen into the path of darkness.”
Bi Qin turned to look at his brother inside the room, his voice soft.
“My brother and I followed the orthodox path of cultivation. But when the tribulation came, only one of us could survive.”
“He should have passed it without difficulty, but because he tried to help me, he ended up like this.”
“I barely managed to keep his soul from being extinguished… but if I hadn’t done all this, then he would have…”
He didn’t finish his sentence, but Hong Ning understood.
If he hadn’t done this, Wuling’s soul would have scattered, his very existence erased from the world—just like Bai Ling.
One brother had risked his life for the other.
And the other had fallen into darkness for his sake.
A heavy silence filled the air.
Hong Ning said, “Consider my offer.”
Bi Qin pondered for a moment before asking, “The inner core serves no purpose other than to enhance spiritual power. Could it be… you intend to deal with a nine-tailed fox?”
Hong Ning admitted, “You may not be as strong as a nine-tailed fox, but your inner core will still be very useful.”
Bi Qin studied her for a long moment before suddenly bowing deeply.
“My brother’s life is now in your hands.”
With that, his entire figure vanished before her eyes.
In the blink of an eye, a tall peach tree sprouted in the courtyard, its branches lush with dense foliage.
Despite the season, the tree was in full bloom, covered in fist-sized pink peach blossoms.
The radiant pink glow illuminated the entire courtyard, creating the illusion of spring in full bloom.
Hong Ning watched with admiration for a moment before stepping forward.
She reached out and broke off a single branch.
A golden branch.
The moment a crisp “snap” sounded, the entire tree trembled violently.
Its form began to shrink, and in an instant, all the blossoms withered and fell, covering the ground in a blanket of petals.
The once-vibrant branches and leaves wilted and decayed, drained of all life.
The golden peach branch was only three inches long.
Hong Ning tucked it carefully into her robes.
* * *
Qilin Grass grew outside Kunlun Mountain’s Qilin Cave and was traditionally guarded by the Kunlun divine clan.
Years ago, when she had been fighting a vengeful spirit alongside Wen Xin, she had unknowingly been invaded by yin energy.
Bai Ling had disappeared for several days, only to return with a single stalk of Qilin Grass—and after consuming it, she had fully recovered.
At the time, she hadn’t known where it came from.
Even now, she still didn’t understand why Bai Ling, who had never stepped foot in Qilin Cave, had managed to obtain it.
Qilin Heavenly Fire was a force even immortals feared—capable of turning them into ashes.
Yet, there had once been a mortal woman who had willingly stepped inside.
* * *
By the dim glow of the talismans, Hong Ning took a closer look at Wu Ling’s face.
He bore a nine-tenths resemblance to Bi Qin—delicate brows, a straight nose—but his skin was deathly pale, tinged with a faint bluish hue.
He lay motionless on the wooden bed, his eyes tightly shut, long eyelashes trembling slightly.
He seemed to be trying to speak, but lacked the strength.
The exertion left his breathing unsteady, nearly faltering.
Peach trees thrive on yang energy.
During his tribulation, his soul had been severely damaged, allowing yin energy to invade his body.
Qilin Grass, infused with celestial fire, was the perfect cure.
Hong Ning sat at the edge of the bed, gripping Wu Ling’s chin with her left hand, forcing his mouth open.
Without hesitation, she pulled out her hairpin and slashed her right wrist.
Dark red blood immediately poured forth.
Time passed—about the duration of a single cup of tea.
Gradually, Wu Ling’s complexion improved, but he still did not wake up.
However, Hong Ning had already lost too much blood.
Having exhausted herself from battle earlier, she now felt dizzy and faint.
Cold sweat dotted her forehead.
Her chest tightened, and her heart pounded erratically.
She was about to stop—but then she thought of Bi Qin, who had willingly sacrificed a thousand years of cultivation in exchange for his brother’s life.
She could not go back on her word.
Clenching her teeth, she steadied herself and closed her eyes, chanting an incantation.
A soft glow spread across Wu Ling’s face, his skin growing increasingly warm and lifelike.
The moment Wu Ling's eyes opened, Hong Ning swiftly withdrew her hand, tracing a spell in the air to stop the bleeding.
Without another word, she turned and left.
But just as she stepped past the door, she heard the sound of wind rushing from behind.
She stumbled a few steps, barely dodging the incoming flower petals, then steadied herself against the wall.
With a cold smile, she turned back.
“As expected, the world is full of ungrateful people.”
Wu Ling landed gracefully in front of her.
His face was as radiant as a peach blossom, but unlike Bi Qin's gentle demeanor, his features carried a sharper, more commanding air.
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