Did you truly never cry for your master?

Zhu Lianqing's dreams were filled with Xie Lingchuan's tear-streaked face.

The scene from that inner demon illusion repeated over and over in her dreams.

"Xie Lingchuan!"

When she felt a rain of blood falling once more, she finally jolted awake.

Zhu Lianqing gasped for breath. Once she made out the furnishings in the room, her wildly pounding heart finally settled.

That illusion had been far too cruel.

Zhu Lianqing sat up in bed, and the cloth on her forehead fell off. She picked it up and set it aside, draped on her clothes, got out of bed, and lit the candle on the stand.

She tried circulating her qi and found a faint ache in both her dantian and sea of consciousness. It seemed she had injured herself charging recklessly through the illusion in search of Xie Lingchuan.

Still, an injury of this degree was nothing serious.

Right, Xie Lingchuan.

Zhu Lianqing's brows creased slightly.

Given how attentive that disciple of hers was, he had probably already discovered many of the lies she had told.

Still, as long as he had not discovered her true identity, that was enough.

Under those circumstances, she had had to act.

Zhu Lianqing rubbed between her brows, finding the room a little stuffy.

She pushed open the door and stepped outside.

But to her surprise, Xie Lingchuan had not gone to sleep either. He sat at the stone table in the courtyard, gazing at the night sky.

Zhu Lianqing wanted to return to her room, but it was clearly too late.

"I think we should have a proper talk," Xie Lingchuan called out to stop her.

Zhu Lianqing gathered her clothes closer, sighed, and turned back.

What must come will come.

"All right. What do you want to talk about?"

"I'll ask you a question, and you must answer truthfully. Likewise, you can ask me a question. Whatever it is, I'll answer truthfully too."

Zhu Lianqing walked over to the stone table and sat facing Xie Lingchuan.

She nodded, then nodded again. "All right."

In the darkness, Xie Lingchuan's black eyes looked even deeper. He stared at Zhu Lianqing and said slowly, "Your cultivation is far beyond the Foundation Establishment Stage, isn't it? I suspect you sealed your own spiritual meridians and avoid acting in front of others to keep yourself out of sight."

Looking into Xie Lingchuan's eyes, Zhu Lianqing let out a small breath of relief. Fortunately, it was not a difficult question to answer.

"Yes, you guessed correctly. Your cultivation and mine are indeed far beyond the Foundation Establishment Stage you sensed. I am indeed hiding from someone."

"You're hiding from someone? Who? An enemy, or someone close to you?"

The courtyard was so quiet in the night that Zhu Lianqing could hear her own breathing.

A moment later, her brows relaxed, and she smiled. "That's a second question, Young Hero Xie."

"I never said I would only ask one."

But Zhu Lianqing shook her head, staring at Xie Lingchuan as she spoke each word distinctly.

"I know, Young Hero Xie. What I mean is, have you really decided to let me ask you two questions in return? You have too many secrets. I saw a great deal inside your inner demon."

Zhu Lianqing leaned forward slightly. She saw Xie Lingchuan's gaze flicker, his sharp, cold brows unconsciously drawing together.

Lowering her voice, she said slowly, "Everyone in this world has many secrets. Some secrets should rot in one's heart forever. What good does digging down to the roots do? Of course, if you dare to let others freely unearth the secrets in your heart, I'm willing to oblige. We can sit here and talk freely all night."

Xie Lingchuan looked at Zhu Lianqing. Their gazes met, each harboring their own thoughts, and neither yielded.

But in the end, Xie Lingchuan lowered his eyes first.

Freely?

He did not dare.

There were too many secrets in his heart. He could even call those secrets filthy, shameful things.

How could he face them freely?

Xie Lingchuan looked away and said in a low voice, "It's your turn to ask me."

Zhu Lianqing's gaze remained on Xie Lingchuan's face.

The sight of her young disciple shedding tears of blood for her in the illusion had nearly become her own inner demon.

When she first heard that Xie Lingchuan had not wept at his grave, she had felt a little hurt. But after leaving the inner demon illusion, she felt this was a good thing instead.

Xie Lingchuan had been far too pitiful like that.

Zhu Lianqing considered her wording before asking:

"Rumor has it that there was little familial affection between you and your master, and that you never shed a single tear after her death. But what I saw in your illusion was not like that. Two years ago, did you truly never cry for your master?"

"No."

"Truly?"

"I told you I would answer truthfully."

Zhu Lianqing smiled. "All right." But the instant she lowered her gaze, she saw that Xie Lingchuan's hand resting on the stone table was trembling.

She abruptly raised her head, but Xie Lingchuan's expression was unchanged.

"Everyone is right. Birth, aging, sickness, and death are simply the natural course of human life. You inherited Perfected Lord Nanhua's swordsmanship. Unfettered by matters of life and death, you will surely achieve great things in the future."

Zhu Lianqing rose and walked toward her room.

"The night has grown cold and late. Today's battle with the thousand vines depleted our vitality. You should rest early too, Young Hero Xie."

"All right."

Xie Lingchuan remained where he was, watching Zhu Lianqing close her door. Before long, the light shining through the paper window went out as well.

Only then did he rise and walk toward his room with somewhat stiff steps.

After returning to his room, Xie Lingchuan did not light a lamp, letting the darkness devour his figure completely.

His rigid back pressed against the door, then slowly slid down until he fell to his knees on the floor.

"Hahahahaha..."

In the darkness, Xie Lingchuan's voice sounded like both crying and laughter.

"What fine words-birth, aging, sickness, and death are the natural course of human life. What fine words-unfettered by matters of life and death..."

"Hehehehehe... what fine words-sure to achieve great things!"

"So lightly... said so lightly..."

Early the next morning, the Liu residence was decked out with lanterns and festive decorations.

"Crooked, crooked! A little farther right!"

"No, no! Too far right! A little more to the left!"

When Zhu Lianqing arrived at the main courtyard, Madam Liu was personally directing a courtyard full of servants as they hung red silk and red lanterns.

The portraits of the various cultivators in the main hall had also all been taken down to be wiped clean again.

Seeing Zhu Lianqing approach, Madam Liu immediately smiled. "Have you fully recovered, Daoist Lord? I hope we haven't disturbed you. But there is so little time to prepare for the wedding. If we don't hurry now, I'm afraid we won't finish in time."

"Not at all. The guest rooms are far from here. How could you disturb us? With your daughter getting married, we guests should follow our host's arrangements. There's no need to worry about us, madam."

"Good, good! You truly are generous-hearted, Daoist Lord!"

As they spoke, two young servants carrying a ladder ran up to Madam Liu, looking troubled.

"Madam, lanterns of this size are simply too big and heavy. We've tried so many times, and the ladder is a little short too. We really can't hang them from the two highest corners of the eaves. What do you think...?"

Madam Liu grew anxious at once.

"If the ladder isn't tall enough, hurry and get some carpenters to add a few more sections! We went through a thousand hardships to buy these big lanterns. Whatever it takes, we must hang them up to add splendor for our Mingzhu!"

Zhu Lianqing looked at the two lanterns, each fully half a person's height, joined by an extremely broad length of red silk. The red silk alone was already heavy.

The Liu residence was very tall. Even if carpenters lengthened the ladder, climbing up to hang something heavy could easily lead to an accident.

So Zhu Lianqing said, "Let me do it."

Madam Liu was delighted at first, then paused and hurriedly waved her handkerchief.

"How could I allow that? I know you can ascend to the heavens and descend into the earth, Daoist Lord, but such tremendous abilities are meant for slaying demons. How could we ask you to do this sort of menial work?"

"How could hanging silk to add splendor for your daughter count as menial work?" Xie Lingchuan had arrived at some point. He tugged lightly on the red silk, looking ready to help.

Madam Liu froze at the sight. "Well... then I really must trouble you both, Daoist Lords."

Zhu Lianqing picked up the lantern and red silk on one side and smiled. "It's only the lift of a hand."

She looked at Xie Lingchuan. "I'll hang the left one, and you hang the right. Watch carefully-don't let it go crooked."

Xie Lingchuan gave a quiet "Mm" and picked up the red silk and lantern on the other side.

They exchanged a glance and rose into the air in perfect accord. In the blink of an eye, the lanterns joined by red silk had followed them up beneath the corners of the eaves.

"Madam, could you check whether they're crooked?"

"Perfectly straight, perfectly straight! You've both got them absolutely straight!"

Zhu Lianqing finished hanging her lantern and descended to the ground, with Xie Lingchuan following close behind.

The two exquisite, beautiful lanterns swayed gently beneath the eaves, the red silk joining them cascading down from above. The residence instantly gained a great deal of festive cheer.

"Thank you so much for today, Daoist Lords! When the time comes, I'll have my son-in-law offer you all a few extra toasts of wedding wine!"

Zhu Lianqing smiled. "Perfect. I can share in some of the wedding joy too."