Chapter 1226: Rest and Recover; The Tragedy of the Sima Siblings (II)

By the time their discussion concluded, the sun was already high in the sky.

The Windflower Domain leaned toward a cold climate. Meanwhile, they'd barely had the leisure to build the main necessities at Hundred-Li Green River, let alone setting up temperature-regulating formations and other such. The sun was the only saving grace, bringing a touch of warmth to this late autumn weather. When Luo Chen returned to his minimally furnished palace, he could still feel the chill in the air.

He heard a rustling noise coming from his bed chamber. When he walked in, two pairs of eyes turned toward him in unison, only to shyly look away quickly. After all, the three of them sharing a bed like they'd done the previous night was really not something that happened on the regular, especially since the two women didn't get along very well in their daily lives.

With a smile, Luo Chen directly called out, "Caiyi!"

Gu Caiyi looked up in his direction to see a jade scroll floating toward her.

"You needn't concern yourself with the affairs of the sect. Just take a secluded session to solidify your cultivation. I revised the old simplified version of the Fine Dust Primordial Art, so take a good look. It's no longer limited to the Golden Core Realm, so it will be of great benefit to you."

Gu Caiyi accepted the scroll with delight.

Luo Chen then asked, "Another thing... Have you given any thought to what kind of life-bound enchanted treasure you want?"

Gu Caiyi nodded eagerly. All the other Adepts in the sect had already found their life-bound treasures. Fu Jiusheng and Chu Kui had formed their Golden Cores long ago and acquired theirs soon afterward. Li Yingzhang had the Chi Dragon Sword passed down through his family. Even Yang Pingdu, who had joined the Luo Tian Sect long later, had a suitable treasure from his time in the Myriad Phenomena Sect. Gu Caiyi was the only one using an incompatible enchanted tool.

"I'd like a treasure that works for both offense and defense. Preferably a silk ribbon, or maybe a scarf or a whip. If not, at least a good flying sword..." Gu Caiyi then sighed. "Unfortunately, the things I like are just too niche. On the rare occasion that I stumble upon one, it either has an owner's imprint that can't be erased, or it's not compatible with my mana attributes... or both, usually."

Luo Chen smiled. "It's alright. I'll just make one for you in a while."

Gu Caiyi's eyes widened as she didn't quite catch on. Since when could her husband forge artifacts?

Luo Chen then turned to Sima Huiniang. "Li Yingzhang has only recently taken over. He's certainly capable, but he's not yet familiar with the affairs tied to this role. Huiniang, you can spend some time assisting him until he can fully take over. Yao Mingyue is about to go into seclusion to take on the Golden Core Realm, so only you can do this."

Sima Huiniang gave him a soft assent.

Luo Chen didn't mention her cultivation. Until the Spirit-Link Gu inside her was dealt with, she couldn't cultivate, or else there could be serious consequences.

"Next, I'm going to refine a batch of Nascent Soul Pills for the Divine Talisman Sect!"

Hearing Luo Chen say that, the two women gazed at him curiously.

Luo Chen flashed them a confident smile. "This pill isn't that big of a deal for me to refine, but it will be a big deal for the Divine Talisman Sect, the Luo Tian Sect, and even the entire Eastern Wilderness cultivation world, so I should get it done as soon as possible."

"You want to prove that you're a true great-grandmaster through refining this pill, so that all the powerhouses in the Eastern Wilderness will have to take you seriously," mused Sima Huiniang.

"You really know me well, Huiniang!" Luo Chen laughed heartily.

His hand reached toward the floor and closed into a fist. The Primordial Unity Cauldron, which he had secretly buried beneath Verdant Mountain to serve as the core of the formation for his Nascent Soul Formation Ceremony, emerged from the ground and rapidly shrank. Whirling, it flew toward him.

Luo Chen took a deep breath, his face brimming with confidence as he announced the strategy he had decided on to face the Nether Origin Sect's inquiry, "No matter how much I advertised my alchemy skills, they are ultimately empty words. Those people will only believe me when I actually refine a fourth-tier pill. Once I succeed with that, I can easily extend my connection network and I'll have allies everywhere in the entire Eastern Wilderness. By that point, even the Nether Origin Sect... won't be able to do a thing to me!"

He was simply employing an old trick of his, which was to make good use of the weapon known as reputation. A Golden Core alchemy master and a Nascent Soul great-grandmaster were worlds apart. With his reputation as a foundation and his alchemy skills as his capital, even if his past service to the demons of Green Parasol Mountain were to be exposed, the Holy Land wouldn't take him to task all that hard, especially when they had just lost a unique figure like the Saint Alchemist!

Rather than lingering in the warmth of his lovers after settling all the major and minor matters, Luo Chen set out to prepare for the refinement of the Nascent Soul Pill. As he was leaving, Sima Huiniang looked hesitant like she wanted to say something, but in the end, she held back.

Gu Caiyi happened to see that as she finished getting ready. After Luo Chen left, she asked, "Why didn't you bring him up?"

Sima Huiniang lowered her head. "Luo Chen is very busy right now. I don't want to distract him."

Gu Caiyi said coldly, "So have you made up your mind? Will you kill him or let him go?"

"I certainly can't let him go. But... kill him?" Sima Huiniang pressed her lips together in a look of anguish. "He is my own younger brother!"

Gu Caiyi frowned. "He betrayed the sect."

Sima Huiniang whispered, "I was the one who wronged him first."

"You weren't always this soft-hearted!"

"I'm no longer the sect leader, after all!"

Gu Caiyi shook her head. Familial ties were truly difficult to sever. Before going out, though, she said after some hesitation, "Just do as you see fit. Luo Chen has left Sima Wenjie alone since he brought him back; he's clearly letting you handle this. No matter what your decision is, he won't blame you."

Sima Huiniang opened her mouth, but no word came out in the end. Her head drooped weakly.

***

Three days later, three figures entered the underground prison beneath Verdant Mountain together. When Sima Wenjie saw Li Yingzhang, Min Longyu, and his own elder sister, he knew his judgement had finally arrived.

For some reason, the anxiety that had been gnawing at him just moments before subsided at once. In the soft glow of luminous pearls, Sima Huiniang's face, which had regained its healthy flush, brought him even greater peace of mind. The fact that her physical condition had been resolved, along with the grand ceremony in the sect earlier, let him realize that his sister had been right to remain steadfast, and he had been wrong for wavering.

Having arrived at the conclusion that everything was entirely his own fault, Sima Wenjie did not beg for mercy. He merely smiled and said, "He really cured you, Second Sister. You're even more beautiful than before."

Sima Huiniang pursed her lips. Her body trembled slightly before she nodded at Min Longyu. "Please, and thank you."

The corner of Min Longyu's lips tugged up. "Leave it to me. It'll only take a while."

Sima Huiniang cast one last glance at her younger brother, then walked to the door alongside Li Yingzhang. After they left the room, a muffled, agonized growl echoed from within. The woman covered her mouth when she heard it.

Li Yingzhang sighed. "He is an Adept at the end of the day. Crippling him is even more cruel than killing him. If it were up to me, I'd rather put him out of his misery."

Sima Huiniang kept her head down, hiding her expression as she said, "I am no longer the sect leader."

Does not being the sect leader mean one cannot take drastic measures?

Li Yingzhang didn't quite comprehend this mindset, but as he looked at her desolate silhouette, a vague realization struck him. Now, she was merely the Supreme Elder's Dao companion and the older sister of the man that was enduring his Golden Core being dissolved in the prison. She was no longer the leader who had to place the sect's interests before kinship.

He contemplated for a moment and then said, "I can arrange a position for him in the sect, so he can scrape by and live out his life. Let's say... cleaning the Scripture Pavilion?"

Sima Huiniang was stunned, then slowly nodded. "Thank you!"

The Scripture Pavilion was the least crowded and most peaceful place in the sect. No one would point fingers at Sima Wenjie there. Since it was also under the management of Wang Yuan, a man whose cultivation had been abolished could not cause any trouble. Sima Huiniang knew this was the best possible outcome for her younger brother.

Li Yingzhang accepted her gratitude calmly. He wasn't one to make bold changes upon taking office, but doing her a favor was no big deal. Besides, everyone understood that Luo Chen had tacitly given them the authority to handle this matter how they pleased.

The two of them then took the dim, damp passageway out. When they saw a faint ray of daylight, Li Yingzhang suddenly said, "Qu Lingjun should be returning tomorrow, right?"

***

Qu Lingjun indeed returned as planned, but he did not return alone. His Dao companion, Meng Qin'er, was with him.