Chapter 02

The Waiting

Her days passed by quietly, falling back to long forgotten routines rather easily. Though she unexpectedly started a few new hobbies, owing to the fact that while her cultivation has fallen to the level of her teenage years, the strength of her spirit and her experience has rendered it only too simple to progress faster than what should have been possible with her innate talents.

Since her teachers could only exclaim at the sudden improvement of her whip and sword mastery along with the unbelievable advancement in cultivation, she found herself a lot of free time even with her steadfast training and decided to pick up a few arts she had forgone before.

As the needle and thread effortlessly glided along the silk she decided to embroider, she focused her mind to creating the design she wish to embellish on the high quality cloth.

"Mistress, are you sewing lotus flowers again?" Yinzhu innocently questioned, smiling at the wonderful craft being created. Her mistress is truly too talented!

"The Mistress has become completely proficient in sewing! And you only decided to do it again a few months ago! Your other works were admired by the old madams. They said that the lotus flowers look so alive!" Jinzhu added with quiet pride.

However, the guiltless remarks managed to unknowingly stab the object of their praises, and Yu ZiYuan looked at her handiwork, feeling herself flush a little and break into cold sweat at the same time and ultimately ended up scowling in her usual manner. She wasn't doing it on purpose. Was she sewing lotus flowers a lot? No! She did a few others…

She recounted her pieces and they were a stem of lotus flower, a twin stem of lotus flowers, a bundle of lotus flowers, and a recent lavish work of art that took her a whole three weeks to finish, a huge screen depicting a familiar pond of…lotus flowers…

Red-violet eyes closed in disdain and deciding that her palm are all sweaty, she put down her embroidery and ordered for her textbooks on medicine be brought.

At the same time she took up sewing again, she decided to study about medicine as well. Remembering that there was a time in her youth when A-Li was sickly and there was a dangerous time when she was pregnant with Jiang Cheng. It might be too late but she hated feeling helpless to save herself then. She since then studied medicine during her first life but motherhood took up most of her attention. Now, she wants to give some time to study medicine and alchemy.

Hmph, maybe I could poison Wen Ruohan if I get the chance, she thought when the conclusion first came.

Smiling amusedly if a little coldly, she had sent Yinzhu to ask her father to find a good teacher of medical arts. After a while, she was told where a certain man of the Wen sect who was said to be proficient in medicine is staying. She glared at the horizon at the choice and almost automatically refused but eventually decided to consider it for a while before accepting, a little tactless when she was just thinking of murdering their future sect leader but considering that that same man annihilated her and her husband and his sect, she feels it well justified.

"Mistress, when are you going back to Master Wen's home?" asked Jinzhu, gently pulling her out of her reverie.

She was fortunate enough to be accepted by Wen Qingshan, a generous and kind man, as a pupil, helping her swallow the first bouts of repulsion at facing another Wen. Thankfully, he was unlike the other arrogant men in his sect. He was living near Yunmeng with his family at this time and not in Qishan in an attempt to see more of the ailment that torments the mundane world. Moving about every other year, Yu ZiYuan chanced upon the year that the skillful master was staying near her sect.

She's only home now for a momentary vacation at the request of her family.

"Master Wen said that he expects me to be back by the end of tomorrow." She replied nonchalantly while looking for the page where she left off in the book, "We'll depart tomorrow afternoon. Make sure the gifts for them are prepared as I instructed."

"We understand, Mistress."

"I heard Master Wen was praising A-Yuan for being a promising student. Soon, he'll be claiming the spot as your closest friend and then what would I do with myself?" A velvety, elegant voice intruded in her room and a beauty with straight long hair and flowing green robes strutted confidently without announcing herself. There is unyielding pride in her bearing and straightforward dignity in her countenance that Yu ZiYuan approve of. No wonder they get along so well.

A short-lived but fond smile automatically spread on Yu ZiYuan's lips at the sight of her best friend, "Insolent girl!" she said in mock-disgust, "What a thing to say about my master, who had let such a callous thing in my room?" The way they make their banters intimidated others due to the lack of lilting tone and girlish flare.

"My dear madam, I received a letter to meet my dearest friend here who has been acclaimed as a talented young lady with both grace and spirit. I'm only accepting a request." said Hou MeiXiu, future Madame Jin, with feigned affront.

"What a coincidence, I am waiting for my closest friend as well who has been commended as an accomplished young lady with both beauty and wit. I'm afraid there won't be enough room here once both our friends arrive so I daresay you should change your location." came the easy retort in a rich tone.

"Ah, that's easy, let us both send them away then and entertain each other. That much beauty and skill in one room would be a fearsome sight to behold to be sure."

"Hmmm, reasonable. I accept."

They looked at each other for a moment before laughing freely and Hou MeiXiu came to sit beside her and took her hand in both of hers.

"Heartless woman! I was waiting and waiting for you to come back so we can practice together before our first night hunt!" frowned the pretty lady with light eyes, which for her is an equivalent of a pout, her demeanor had yet to be hardened by the cruel realities of an unsatisfying marriage. "How long are you going to study medicine under Master Wen?"

"Just a little over a year. I already talked with Master about it." casually answered Yu ZiYuan before personally pouring the tea that her maids brought in for her friend, "And why are you fretting about a hunt that won't be happening until next year?"

While men can start night-hunting at 14, girls like them are given permission to go at 16. She'll be turning 15 in another half-year and MeiXiu's birthday is not that far from hers. It'll be well into the half of the following year that they'll be allowed to go on a night-hunt. Truthfully, she can already go with her current capabilities but she wants to focus all her energy in training herself more and accomplishing more than her previous life. In more than one department (hence the sewing and other studies).

Currently, her level of cultivation is already on the level of when she was 20 or so but she still decided to go on seclusion for 3 months before turning 16 in order to ensure her strength for her first night-hunt. So even though she's itching to kill some fays even at this moment, she reined the urge for battle. She'll have to content herself with training with her maids and beating into shape the hapless disciples of her sect.

"But I want to train with A-Yuan! It's like you suddenly got stronger overnight! You're better than First Brother, I'll learn more by sparring with you."

"Selfish girl." Yu ZiYuan derided lightly, "I'm just lucky. You're not doing badly. I'll exchange pointers with you the next time I'm home. I made some notes for you to follow regarding breathing techniques that you also use in your sect. You can have them." She finished as she handed a thick scroll to the shorter girl.

"You're truly reliable, A-Yuan!" Hou MeiXiu contentedly accepted. Elated, she threw her hands around her.

"Behave yourself. If your fiancée finds out about this, he might go after my throat." She mildly teased even as her eyes become a tad colder at the reminder of that useless man. She'd be happy to strangle him, instead.

She sighed internally instead. There's nothing she could do about it. The engagement between her best friend and that walking disease has been agreed upon since their infancy. She could only lament her good friend's luck in a spouse and support her in everything. She'll need to see whether she can do something about the man now that she's aware just what kind of filth he'll grow up to be.

At the mention of Jin GuanShan, Hou MeiXiu's face soured a little, "Never mind him, if he can care about something else aside from flirting, I'd praise Guanyin."

ZiYuan has always been thankful that the stately lady before her is perfectly aware just what kind of man she's going to marry. At the very least, that saved her from the shock of finding out that her husband is without loyalty or dignity as a man.

Maybe, I should advise her this time to castrate that man after Jin ZiXuan was born. She crudely thought before shaking her head…just leave it as an option for now.

"I can't do anything about my case but I'm happy that A-Yuan doesn't need to worry about being saddled with a less than agreeable man who only likes to chase after skirts like me." continued Hou MeiXiu with a look of earnest relief, "I still can't believe you talked with your father about it." she finished as she took a sip of tea with a sharp scrutiny at her.

Yu ZiYuan lowered her lashes to partially cover the emotions that might be displayed in dark eyes despite the small smile she offered.

She had spoken to her father about delaying her engagement to anyone within the week of her awakening, stating that she wish to make her own choice on the matter for as long as she has the time. Her father was rather taken aback and she couldn't blame him. She had gone with his decision on everything before, knowing that it's in her best interest as well as their sect's interest.

Thankfully, her father knows her to be astute and loves her enough not to thoughtlessly ignore her expressed wishes. After a long discussion, they came to a decision; her father won't actively try to make a match for her until she changes her mind or says she's ready. He will consider any candidate she will choose but his agreement would be decided on whether he finds the man worthy or not. But if any proposals come for her, she must promise to carefully consider them before rejecting any of them. And she must marry before she turns 18.

Feeling a little weary but satisfied, she left his study, ignoring the throbbing in her chest.

You are now safe.

She had whispered to the wind.

Closing her eyes to halt the memories of that afternoon, she clenched her fists once before opening wine-like orbs to smile at her friend, "I still need to marry before my 18th winter. I can hardly say I'm off the hook."

"But a chance to choose is a woman's fortune."

"Truly." She answered mutedly, forcing her smile to remain, not wanting to explore why her heart stuttered for a bit. She thought she saw a broad back in purple robes walk away from her window but forcibly ignored it. It's nothing but a distant memory.

'My Lady.'

Stop it! She internally yelled.

"To be able to choose is a fortune."

~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~

The dance between night and day played again and again and without feeling the heavy passage of time, Yu ZiYuan woke up to the day of her first night-hunt.

She sat up quietly in bed, her maids already waiting to serve her.

"Mistress, are you getting up now?"

"Yes, help me prepare."

"Understood, Mistress."

After getting out of bed, slender fingers immediately found a certain purple ring resting on a bed of satin in a special box on top of her side table and she quickly put it on before anything else.

On her 16th birthday, her mother finally bequeathed Zidian to her, more than satisfied with her accomplishments in cultivation and martial arts. She held the ring to her breast in nostalgia. Making a useless wish that this same ring managed to guard her son to whom she left it with back then.

It still feels incomplete somehow, this life, even with the added weight of the treasured ring on her right hand. But it'll have to do, she reaffirmed with herself.

She held out her hands as her maids help her dress after her bath. The dark-blue with silver insets sect uniform of her Meishan sect fluttered around her ankle, the blue trousers underneath made walking and fighting comfortable. She wore her hair in the usual half-up half-down style of her youth but secured her hair with a long purple ribbon. After strapping her sword, Cheng Luan, she directly went outside.

The day flitted by as she went about her day, training and training some more until night came and Hou MeiXiu came to get her with disciples from her own sect, evidently looking forward to their first hunt, grateful that Yu ZiYuan waited until her birthday yesterday before going on her first night-hunt.

"This will be a bloodbath." announced MeiXiu, a determined and ready smile on her lips, "Your advancement in cultivation has been extraordinary, A-Yuan. You should be called a genius."

Not really, the Third Lady of Meishan Yu thought drily. She's aware that she's no prodigy. Even in her previous life, her cultivation has been above many but not to the point of being hailed as sensational. Now, she's only a woman who's got her spirit and muscle memory from her previous life.

Even as she now attained the cultivation of her 27 year old self, she was unable to welcome the undeserved praise. "I am no genius, A-Xiu. Stop being silly or you might get outdone by Young Master Jin."

At the mention of the flirt, one perfect eyebrow rose in disdain, "Let's see him try." Hou MeiXiu coldly sneered.

Yu ZiYuan isn't worried, she helped her friend in cultivating using her YunXiao Sect's teachings. While not terribly advanced, she managed to achieve a higher level of cultivation compared to her previous 16 year old self.

Feeling the challenge charge the air, Yu ZiYuan slightly smiled before training her eyes to the starry sky as she mounted her sword followed by 30 others, feeling the familiar electric thrill of the hunt sing in her veins.

Finally, to battle once more.

After an hour in the wind, flying with great haste, they arrived in Jue Di Gorge, a vast expanse of mountainous area filled with mysterious rock formation, unpredictable currents, treacherous cliffs and deep valleys. The greenery looked black despite the light of the stars and moon and a heavy mist lay on the ground like a blanket.

There's no ghost to be found here except for the lingering shadows of young disciples who perished in the claws and fangs of the beasts who lurks in the crevices and bushes.

"I heard all sorts of creatures keep appearing here no matter how many night-hunts happen." called out Hou MeiXiu.

Of course, Yu ZiYuan mused. It will still take a few years but it will be discovered that this area has a connection to the Endless Abyss that links this realm to those of demonic creatures and it will take the strength of all the prominent sects to make sure that the bridge will always remain dormant. This feat in fact cemented the power and balance of the 5 large sects until Wen Ruohan, that miserable dog, decided to upset that balance.

I ought to hint the Endless Abyss to fuqin. If we can gain more credibility, it can only do us good, she pondered to herself. After a year of thinking, she decided that strengthening her connections with the other sect would greatly help once they have to unite against the Wens. Sect politics and diplomatic are tedious for her, but if it means that the children that would follow after them would suffer less, it's an undertaking she's willing to suffer.

At this point, her lips stretched into a disgusted sneer at herself. Who is she kidding? She's no saint. As a woman who couldn't spare any affections for her husband's adopted child, who is she to spout about saving the fate of future children of the world? In truth, she only wants her future children, whoever they might be, be freed from hardships. And maybe, his children, but she didn't dare dwell on that thought a moment longer. At the very least, it would help her sect, he firmly told herself.

As they further neared, all around them, various hues of different robes that represent numerous other sects can be seen on their own spirit swords, each of them looking for a place to start their quest.

Their group landed on a particularly large clearing and she directed the disciples of her sect.

"I'll set up the talisman here to act as a post. You all have eight hours to cleanse as many evil as you can find. Come back at the ordained time or you'll fly back home on your own."

As the dozen or so disciples chorused a "Yes, Shijie!", a different voice trespassed in her consciousness with that usual and highly irritating calm, 'Do not overstep your limits but do not be afraid of challenges.'

It took her a moment to notice the strange looks she was receiving before she realized he repeated that annoying line out loud.

She glared at no one in particular before she snapped a resounding "Dismiss!"

"YES!" the poor lads who rarely receive encouraging words from their scary young lady felt elated with her inspiring words which gave Yu ZiYuan a headache.

That damn man.

After setting up the array with the seal of her sect, she turned to a specific direction followed by Hou MeiXiu and their attendants.

"That's quite unexpected coming from you, A-Yuan." she laughed but still in awe at the uncharacteristic words of her friend.

Yu ZiYuan massaged her temples before using her fingers to pinch the other's cheek, "You be quiet or I'll leave you here."

"Ow, ow, ow! Oh don't!" protested the other young lady as she nursed her throbbing cheek, "I want to see A-Yuan's valiant show. Where are we going? Why did you go this way?"

Yu ZiYuan hid a smile as she feigned ignorance, "Nothing. Just ambling, hoping for something to see."

Before even coming here, she already has specific targets in mind, but of course, a young lady who's coming out to experience the wild for the first time have no business knowing the things in her head so she kept silent.

At length, they came to a quiet and large river, the surface of which prettily sparkles with the shine of the moon. Yu ZiYuan kept her right hand on her sword even though she's prepared to use Zidian at a moment's notice instead.

Feeling her tension rise, Hou MeiXiu whispered, "A-Yuan, what's in here? Are we hunting water ghouls?"

She wanted to chuckle at the absurdity but before she could say anything, black threads broke the peaceful veneer of water and shot straight at them. She easily hacked the attack and before the pretty maiden beside her recover from shock, she unleashed Zidian and had currents of violet electricity crackle. Filled with pure blazing charge, Yu ZiYuan allowed the tip of the whip to disturb the water and in a swift motion, channeled an explosive amount of qi which made the river erupt with purple volts licking the air followed by an unholy screech from a hideously large head with long tangles of thick hair.

"Ah! Isn't-Isn't that—"

"Nu Yuan Chan." Yu ZiYuan finished with a volatile hostility towards the trembling creature.

Without waiting, she pulled out her sword and let it hover in the air as she performed sword seals to direct its movements. Coordinating the two spiritual weapons, a fatal dance started, turning it into a one-sided destruction. After hacking and brandishing a few times, the enemy laid in two parts at her feet.

Feeling the hum of adrenaline sing in her blood, Yu ZiYuan contentedly looked at her first prey.

"A-Yuan!" Hou MeiXiu, despite forcing herself to remain steadfast, tremulously ran to her, "This crazy girl! Seriously! That was a monster capable of killing senior disciples! Good thing you're unhurt!"

"I was able to best it in speed is all." she effortlessly countered, stepping over one large disfigured ear to give Jinzhu a pointed look.

"How did you even know that there's one here?"

"There were several strands of black hair on the surface of the water." she lied easily, her answers already prepared.

"Oh."

She directed Jinzhu to drag the corpse back to the clearing and follow by using a sound transmitting talisman to locate them again.

She clenched her fists. Finally, after nearly 2 years of waiting, she can start hunting down demons again.

"Come, let's go." She said after a second more, "It's still far too early to rest."

Several hours later, the ground where she had set up the talisman is now stained with blood and guts from the countless body of beasts the Third Lady of Meishan Yu sect prevailed upon. Hundred-year old serpents, 2-meter Bone Eagles, four-tailed and even five-tailed demonic foxes and a three-horned ogre joined the Nu Yuan Chan on the floor.

But even with the massive accomplishment this offers, evident in the still gaping mouths of the returned disciples, the young lady who managed the feat is anything but happy. In fact, she's getting irritated by the second.

She internally cursed. The whole night and in every other fight, a voice would haunt her consciousness, giving practiced instructions.

'Bone Eagles are swift, aim for their wings.'

'Be careful of the poison the serpents spit out, it's more deadly than their bite.'

'It'll be rare to find demonic foxes alone, they usually come in pairs at least. Here they are.'

I know they're coming, you idiot! She had wanted to yell during her fight.

Even worse, these are the instructions he gives out to their disciples during night-hunts! That she even remembers them came as a surprise and she loath to explain to herself just how.

"I was wondering why Jue Di Gorge was strangely silent. It turned out someone else managed to take the lead today." the deep, terribly masculine voice of Nie Ju-Long, heir to the Qinghe Nie Sect, sounded behind her and Yu ZiYuan turned her head just in time to see a dozen or so young men in black, grey and gold sect uniform descend from their swords, led by their 25 year old young master. Dark-brown eyes scrutinized her.

"Young Master Nie." she greeted with a salute, surprising the older man.

"So you know me? I'm honored, Maiden Yu."

Before she knows it, several other spectators joined their small group in the large clearing. The first rays of sunshine graced them and illuminated the gory pile of monsters on the field of grass.

"I keep hearing about the gifted Third Lady of Meishan Yu Sect. For once, rumors proved to be true." Jin GuanShan addressed with that sophisticated tone that he always manages to turn sleazy, "Ah! Xiu-er, you're also here! T-those are also quite magnificent kills!" the peacock of a man suddenly fell all-over himself trying to please the fiancée he didn't know also came, hoping that she didn't hear the flirtatious hint in his voice earlier nor saw how his hand was wrapped around a golden-robed female disciple.

"Manners, Young Master Jin." elegantly returned the First Young Lady of YunXiao Sect from where she's sitting on top of five demonic foxes and a silver-horned black wolf with one leg tucked under the other, "I see that you were generous enough to lead all female disciples of LanLing Jin sect on this hunt."

An exchange of a sharp glance and an awkward laugh followed this along with several murmurs from the other young cultivators nearby.

"Discounting the small fries, it's eight massive preys. Splendid haul."

"It's my first time even seeing a Nu Yuan Chan!"

"No one has seen the Third Lady of Meishan Yu sect in public even after she turned 15. Some people were saying it's because she was ugly but how different is that from the truth!"

"Our young lady is talented and beautiful, what kind of nonsense is this about her being ugly?!"

"I've been hearing about the Maiden Yu, I thought she's only good at embroidery and music."

"Stupid, before that, she was said to have a high level of cultivation."

"Half the mountains noticed her maids running back and forth with a kill in hand."

"A first night-hunt? It's certainly impressive."

Amidst the great bubble of voices surrounding her, one voice pierced her consciousness and her back straightened as though she's been shot. It was more youthful than she would have expected. Certainly not the same as in her current memories that frequented her dreams but she'll always recognize it.

Damning her heart to settle down, unconsciously gripping her robes hard in quivering fists, she returned her gaze to the pile of monsters she killed to find a tall, lean man of 20 years old inspecting the Nu Yuan Chan. The purple tint of his robes stood out amongst all other colors in her eyes, the silver bell hanging on his belt more beautiful than she remembered. Although softened by youth, there's the calm and the grace she lived with for more than 2 decades. The serenity she fell in love with.

After nearly two years of dreaming about him whether she wants to or not, he finally stands before her.

Jiang FengMian.

Blue-grey eyes found her and she felt her breath caught quietly at the polite but kind smile he saw directed at her, she wanted to sneer in self-scorn. Now that her father didn't offer any engagement to his clan, he doesn't disdain her yet.

A salute was given to her in greeting.

"Maiden Yu. Congratulations, this is quite the achievement for you."

Feeling the thundering of her heart and the warmth behind her eyes, she gritted her teeth but boldly held that gaze and forced herself to return the greeting. Bowing, she stiffly replied, "You are very generous, J—Young Master Jiang."

"Someone told me that a young lady on her first night-hunt was able to kill a Nu Yuan Chan. I daren't believe it." an arrogant voice boomed above the whispers in the air and the crowd parted to welcome another prominent young master in white and red sect uniform.

When red-violet orbs reflected the authoritative figure of the handsome young man, her body began to tremble for entirely different reasons. The refined brows, straight nose and fair skin quite escaped her notice. She only saw the monster she had wished and wished to kill a thousand times over.

She was unable to keep away the hate that filled her eyes. Her insides burned with loathing. It took all the self-possession she never knew she had to not use Zidian to hang this man right there and now.

Wen Ruohan.

"So, you are Yu ZiYuan?" the imperious question was wrapped in a mockery of civility.

Seeing that he's rude enough to address her by her given name on their first meeting, she didn't bother showing him respect and didn't reply.

One brow arching in wonder at being ignored, young Wen Ruohan insisted, "Is the Nu Yuan Chan your last prey?"

"My first." She finally answered through clenched teeth, reminding herself that she cannot act up in front of the other sect's young masters if she is to build a connection with them.

Not to mention, the ministrations of a certain man was locked in her head and couldn't be ignored to her eternal dismay.

"Oooohhhhh!" at her answer, whispers of admiration broke past lips everywhere.

"Hah, impossible. Who helped you?" the damnable young lord doubtfully persisted and Yu ZiYuan could feel veins protrude at the back of her neck in vexation. She longed to slap this man the way she did with his son's bitch and more.

She reigned herself, however, and she almost wanted to tell a certain purple-clad cultivator that she does have self-control, see?! "No one." she coldly retorted.

"Hmmm, impossible to determine the truth." Wen Ruohan continued to contemplate before smiling eerily, "I suppose the only way to find out is to test you out now." He then directed his gaze behind him, silently ordering someone to come out.

Bright eyes widened when another hateful beast entered her sights and she wanted to scream in frustration when Wen Zhuliu faced her.

"This is Zhao Zhuliu. I took him in a couple of months ago and he shows promise. I'm sure he's more than enough to see what you can do."

This abomination actually dared to stand before her. What? Test her? Very well, she didn't get her epithet of Violet Spider by letting still nameless dogs walk all over her. I'll make you regret this, you swine.

"Go." Wen Ruohan ordered and the young Zhao Zhuliu immediately charged without hesitation to the shock of the crowd.

"A-Yuan!" she thought her best friend exclaimed in alarm, the disgusting man beside her forgotten in the heat of the moment.

I'll kill you, Wen Zhuliu. That way, you won't get anywhere near Lotus Pier!

Calmly and quietly, she flitted in her feet and easily came up behind her attacker. She doesn't think anyone can beat her in speed at the moment. Disregarding decorum and image for a moment, she gave in to the urge and swung on one leg in a full circle and did a roundhouse kick, giving the man a crisp hit on his left cheek and sent him flying.

Without pause and not even using an ounce of spiritual energy to humiliate them further, Yu ZiYuan freely let herself beat up the man by punching him in the stomach, slapping his face, gripping his long hair and slamming him to the ground again and again using only martial might, her beautiful, cold visage not even changing with the exertion.

Giving no notice to the stunned crowd, she viciously stomped on the bloody man lying face down, further planting his head deeper into the earth.

She was ready to snap the neck of the battered disciple when a hand wrapped around her arm to stop her.

"Maiden Yu, I think it best that you stop."

That worried tone extinguished the murderous shriek in her blood and she turned her head to meet with tranquil azure orbs. She let herself be led away from her victim.

Belatedly remembering her plan of connections, she quietly lifted still trembling hands in a salute, "Thanking Young Master Jiang for stopping me in time. I'm afraid I lost myself for a while."

Her ready acceptance earned her a peaceful smile, and she wondered if it was this easy before to make the man smile her way.

Afterwards, she faced a confounded Wen Ruohan, and in a tone brimming with dignity and sarcastic respect, "Young Master Wen, your dog is still far too weak. If I used spiritual energy at all, this lowly one is worried I would have broken him." She dipped her hands in her pouch and took out a vial, "This is merely a 3rd grade medicine I created, but this will help him recover. If Young Master Wen doesn't disdain it, I hope you'll accept."

The murmurs from the dumbfounded crowd came back alive. Most were in reverence, some in distaste, others in quiet amusement.

"Is she an alchemist, too?"

"I think I heard that she studied medicine as well."

"How amazing!"

"He initiated an attack without proper sanction and still lost!"

"Attacking a woman like that! How malicious!"

"She didn't even use spiritual power or any of her weapons!"

"How can someone be so powerful!"

"But isn't she too vicious?"

"Well, he deserved it, didn't he? As if the pile of kills doesn't offer proof to what she can do."

Frigid eyes turned hard at the lost but losing none of his arrogance from before, Wen Ruohan remarked, "Curious girl. Maiden Yu has indeed proven herself. It was a mere joke. I hope you'll forgive me, Maiden Yu." Not really sounding apologetic at all.

No matter your curiosity. It's the height of rudeness to doubt my credibility when no one has ever questioned whether the prey you claimed is truly yours! Is what she wanted to say but in order to not aggravate the situation against her favor, she immediately gave a small, stately bow, "Not at all, Young Master Wen. This young one is glad I managed to earn your approval." She finished with icy courtesy.

After giving the vial to another young Wen disciple who flinched at a piercing, disgusted glare from her, they picked up an unconscious Zhao Zhuliu and the group went away much to her satisfaction.

She turned to face the rest of her spectators. Jiang FengMian returned her gaze when he noticed that they again have her attention. She then only realized that the quiet, good-natured man standing beside him was none other than Wei Changze, Wei Ying's father. She couldn't help but scrutinize him for a second; Wei Ying apparently inherited his lips and physique. But other than that, there's no trace of the annoyingly energetic kid on him.

Jin GuanShan stood like the moron that he is beside his fiancée, the fan he was holding fell from his limp fingers in shock and Hou MeiXiu was looking at her with pride and amusement. The tall and muscular Nie Ju-Long who quietly watched the match with a boisterous smirk, now gazed at her with interest and wonder.

Not really willing to bow her head too many times in a single day, she's also perfectly aware on her current social status; she saluted the crowd and exquisitely addressed in a solid tone, "I apologize for detaining the young masters. This young one has showed you a disgraceful sight. I hope you'll treat it as nothing more than a joke."

The men nodded in approval at her show of humility and some went away, feeling that they have a good story to impart once they return home.

"It was a good show." commented Nie Ju-Long with quite an animalistic grin, "Maiden Yu shows such promise. If you'd ever want to be a guest cultivator, our Qinghe Nie Sect would welcome you."

After she expressed her gratitude, internally marveling at how different this night-hunt was from her previous life, the Nie Sect cultivators mounted their swords and flew away.

"I'm only glad to see you unhurt. No matter the blunders of the day, the achievements of the night can't be disregarded. Congratulations once more Maiden Yu." Finally stated the handsome young cultivator, the silver nine-petal lotus hanging on his belt chimed as he moved and after smiling discreetly one last time, he silently ordered his sect members to depart as he too mounted his sword.

She found herself quietly looking at his slowly departing figure and absently wondered within if she'll ever get used to seeing him walk away from her. She hopes so. She saw it only too many times before.

I give you my blessings. Be happy this time.

She found herself praying even after the last purple robe vanished from her sight. This won't be the last time they'll see each other. But with this meeting, she wish that the final nail in the coffin got tucked in at last. She kept her back straight, her gaze unwavering, her aura imposing, after all, she's the Lady of Lotus Pier – ah, no, the Third Lady of Meishan Yu Sect. She cannot be so weak now.

She just now learned to accept the fact that this man neither remembers nor even like the life they shared before and only she was left with this knowledge. So there should be no expectations that he will come to her with another hairpin and mundane chatter whenever they're in the same area. Just as there would no longer be another argument about an adopted child or a neglected son, there would also be no more celebrations of shared family members. Just as he returned to being 'Young Master Jiang', she has returned to being 'Third Lady Yu'.

No longer husband and wife.

I'll throttle your neck if you still won't get what you desire. If I'm going to suffer, you had better make sure to get something to make it worthwhile.

She didn't forget to add before she faced her fellow disciples.

"Return!"