Chapter 36: Wiped Clean

In the end, she hadn't entered the formation, and she wasn't sure if that was fortunate or unfortunate.

As night approached, the Mirror Sea was filled with surging waves, one after another crashing against the shore. The main administrative building of Drunken Man's Bay was brightly lit all night; it seemed the Immortals and officials of the four major sects were all inside discussing matters.

Unknowingly, they walked to the seaside, and someone hurriedly called out: "Which sect are you from? You can't pass through here."

Several formation masters were stationed at the entrance to the Mirror Sea.

Vane turned slightly, first offering an apologetic smile: "Apologies, we are lost. We didn't know entry was forbidden here."

Due to the angle, Zora was blocked by Vane. Hearing this, the man waved them away: "Hurry back."

Zora kept her eyes fixed on the Mirror Sea entrance.

It was clearly a surface of turbulent seawater, yet a black patch of ground abruptly sank downward on the sandy shore. It wasn't black soil, but rather a thick miasma of black fog that extended continuously toward the seabed, splitting a path and forming a vortex. The seawater churned violently over the swirling black mist.

A heavy aura of misfortune drifted from the passage, causing a slight discomfort in the keen senses of the cultivators.

Vane had just finished talking, saying "We'll be going then," but he didn't move; he looked at Zora.

The guarding formation master finally noticed the person behind him. The youth was clearly waiting for her decision.

"?"

The girl's face was indistinct under the faint moonlight. She paused for a long time before finally turning to leave. Vane followed her.

The path was filled with grass and trees. As they gradually stepped onto the stone slab road, Zora said, "There seems to be movement in the Mirror Sea."

"Yes, I noticed as well," Vane said, glancing toward the residences of the Drunken Man's Bay formation masters, which remained brightly lit even late at night. "The formation masters of Drunken Man's Bay have been in a rush all day, and even those with low cultivation are obsessed with their books."

The youth’s greatest skill was observation—vigilant observation. Upon arriving at Drunken Man’s Bay, he had unobtrusively scanned everyone on and off the field, naturally memorizing their expressions and paths of movement.

Zora gave an acknowledgment.

"Aside from that one time, Yi Qiurong hasn't looked for her sister, Yiling Ke, again. Apart from the possibility that she doesn't want to, it’s likely she’s too busy to find her. Yiling Ke said her family is all in Drunken Man's Bay, yet no one came for her today."

Reaching Zora's residence, she pointed to a nearby room that was also lit.

"She waited anxiously for a long time," Zora looked at the soil traces in front of Yiling Ke’s door. "No one has gone in or out."

The only explanation was an anomaly in the Mirror Sea.

The two remained silent for a long while, and then, as if nothing had happened, they bid each other farewell and parted ways. The sealing array only required formation masters and Buddhist cultivators to reinforce it; during that time, their spiritual power would merge with the array, and no one else was allowed near.

If the seal broke and the demons and demon cultivators swarmed out, only then would it be the main stage for sword cultivators and other combatants.

In the next few rounds of the competition, the opponents' cultivation levels were a match for theirs, and the "Five-Person Group" was invincible until the final round. They finally matched with an exceptionally strong team and were defeated.

While cooperation could secure a victory against higher levels, it couldn't bridge a gap of that magnitude.

Song Zhihuai retracted his sword and took a deep breath. His heart, which had beaten steadily during the match, was now thumping violently, filled with trepidation, nervousness, and unease. Though he looked perfectly composed on stage, sweat began to bead on his forehead after walking just a few steps down.

He looked at the four in front of him and quickly locked onto Zora, the implicit leader.

As Zora stepped off the field, she happened to run into their first opponent, the medicine cultivator Huang Ying. Turi Qi stood nearby, watching gently.

Song Zhihuai seemed to have something to say. He approached Zora with an icy aura, standing right behind her—his expression looked more like he was planning to assassinate her than talk to her.

His lips parted slightly—

He was unconsciously interrupted by Huang Ying, who walked over with a smile.

Huang Ying: "Not bad at all. As expected of the sword cultivator who defeated me."

Song Zhihuai closed his mouth.

Zora was puzzled by Huang Ying’s words: "?"

Is there a connection?

The formation master Lu Song was still brooding over the last defeat; the moment Yiling Ke looked over, he covered his face and lowered his head in shame.

Yiling Ke: "..."

Yiling Ke: "?"

Oh—it seems he’s been thoroughly impressed by me.

Yiling Ke gave a slow, triumphant smile. The bright girl, beaming with joy, was like a fluttering yellow butterfly on a winter jasmine—highly infectious.

Huang Ying didn't notice Zora's confusion.

Song Zhihuai paused, then parted his lips again—

Vane knew what Zora was thinking with one look. Before she could say something startling, he spoke first: "Does Cultivator Huang have business with us?"

Song Zhihuai closed his mouth again.

Sweat increased on his forehead, yet Song Zhihuai’s face grew even more frigid, radiating cold air.

Huang Ying was still chatting with Zora, talking extensively about her pharmacy.

"Aren't you a sword cultivator? Sword cultivators always take on dangerous missions; getting injured is a common occurrence! You have to prepare some suitable medicine. My pharmacy is the most affordable in Floating Cloud Valley. If you want anything, you can send a medicinal order from the December Sect; we’ll definitely deliver on time."

As she spoke, she pulled out a scroll and laughed: "This is our internal formation. You just need to write down the required herbs or the state of the injury, and the needed items will be delivered promptly. Of course, it’s a crude array, not nearly as divine as Fellow Daoist Yiling Ke’s."

Yiling Ke felt satisfied for a second, then twitched her lip: "A pure businesswoman."

Zora wasn't interested, but then thought,

What if I actually need it?

She glanced at Vane, who smoothly took it and put it into his storage bag, smiling: "Thank you, we’ll consider it."

Huang Ying immediately showed the satisfied smile of a successful saleswoman: "Then we’ll be off—"

Lu Song, following Huang Ying, hadn't said a word the entire time. After this, he gave a haphazard nod and hurried away in a panic, his steps so clumsy it almost looked like his left foot would trip his right.

Yiling Ke: "Tch tch tch, no mental strength. Look at Fellow Daoist Huang!"

Zora thought for a moment, then turned and reached her hand into Vane’s storage bag—his bag had no defenses against her, allowing her to take whatever she pleased.

Being so close, in the blink of an eye, her forehead and fluffy crown were right under his nose. Vane averted his gaze as if struck by an electric shock, his face remaining steady.

Lately, he had been living much better than before. The youth’s features were gradually maturing, leaning toward a sharp elegance, yet his eyes and brows were like a painting—like a beautiful, imposing sword.

Zora’s brows were like new moons, the contours of her eyes soft, and her lashes were light and slightly curled. Her ivory skin was truly dazzling. People were already turning to look at these two youths who had gained great fame recently, discussing them in low voices.

Zora pulled out the scroll and opened it to take a look. She was instantly stung in the eyes by the dense list of medicinal names and stuffed it back into Vane’s hand.

Vane rolled up the scattered scroll, fastened it, and put it back into his storage bag.

"We—"

A voice finally rang out.

The group turned to look at Song Zhihuai.

Song Zhihuai clutched his sword, silent for a long time, then said stiffly: "I heard the Ningcan Meadow in Drunken Man's Bay allows for the free gathering of medicinal herbs and spiritual plants."

He said only this one confusing sentence that sounded like a promotional scam, then locked his mouth, staring seriously at Zora with a grave expression.

Having spent so much time together, although Yiling Ke knew he was a good person, she was still intimidated by his aura, stammering: "Ni-ni-ni-ni-ni-Ningcan Meadow?"

Zora met his gaze, both of them silent.

Zora waited a moment, but seeing no follow-up from Song Zhihuai, she completely failed to grasp his meaning and replied without a care.

"Mhm, understood."

Vane: "..."

He looked at Zora, then at Song Zhihuai. Thinking that Zora should want to be on good terms with her friends, Vane gave a sudden smile and said, "Senior Brother Song wants us to go together, doesn't he?"

Song Zhihuai was extremely grateful in his heart, giving an expressionless, slight nod.

As expected, Junior Brother Vane is very smart, handles things smoothly, and learns everything quickly. Having such a junior brother is truly a blessing.

Zora said nonchalantly: "Fine."

Since she agreed, Vane naturally followed. With three going, the fun-loving Yiling Ke agreed immediately.

Turi Qi, however, showed a look of difficulty: "Apologies, I have important business and cannot go."

Zora: "It's fine."

She paused for a few heartbeats, suddenly remembering she had to follow Turi Qi in the secret realm tomorrow, so she said: "Just be there tomorrow."

Turi Qi smiled: "That goes without saying."

The five parted ways.

The Ningcan Meadow had many spiritual plants, with formations set around its edges. Cultivators were going in and out, all returning with a full harvest. As Zora’s group approached, they suddenly noticed a sign at the edge.

—

Members of Floating Cloud Valley are forbidden from entering.

Yiling Ke immediately spilled the gossip: "It's because the people from Floating Cloud Valley almost picked the meadow bald. After the Valley Master and the Drunken Man’s Bay Sect Leader discussed it, they decided to ban them for a year."

The group soon entered, and with different destinations in mind, they scattered.

Song Zhihuai remained in a state of excitement about successfully inviting his friends. Once inside, he was alone just like Yiling Ke, but while Yiling Ke was actually looking for plants, he stood in place gazing toward the Mirror Sea like a cold, enlightened cultivator who only cared for the scenery and disdained bending down to pick grass. Song Zhihuai was oblivious, feeling the fresh air and a sense of complete comfort.

Truly wonderful. It seems after this competition, our relationship will advance by leaps and bounds. We can meet occasionally back at the December Sect, unlike other teams who go their separate ways once the team dissolves.

At this thought, the solitary Song Zhihuai gave an imperceptible long sigh.

—He didn't realize at all that even though his friends had come here, they were each doing their own thing.

...

Zora didn't know the types of medicinal herbs, but Vane, having read the relevant books, could say a thing or two. He knew a great deal, so Zora asked: "Can we bring teleportation talismans into the secret realm?"

"...Theoretically no," he paused, "but if hidden properly, it should work."

Upon entering the secret realm, the crowd would be scattered randomly, and finding teammates would take some effort.

Oh, so the rules don't allow it.

Zora thought.

—But isn't that villain Guan Qianyi going to sabotage the secret realm? Under the chaos, the match will naturally be terminated, and the rules will naturally cease to exist.

She relaxed and didn't mention it again, but Vane, unaware of the plot, was still wrestling with the idea.

"It will be very difficult, though. Every part of the secret realm is exposed to the Immortals' eyes. If caught, the consequences... aren't very serious, you’d just be ejected and ranked last."

Zora crouched down, reaching out to pick a red flower that looked like a rose. There was a shape similar to human lips on the red petals, which was very eerie. The moment Zora touched its stem, it began to sway violently, its mouth opening and elongating as if screaming. The inside of the mouth was the same color as the flower.

Zora gave a soulless "Ah."

Vane had been talking nonstop, immersed in thinking of the best way to bypass the rules. Hearing her, he stopped talking and finally noticed the flower she was about to pull.

"Careful, that's a man-eating flower."

The red flower’s mouth grew larger and larger. Within its heart were the corpses of several Drunken Man's Bay cultivators and laborers. Picking spiritual plants had its risks; the sect was no nursery, and life and death were common—everyone in the cultivation world knew this. If they protected everyone from everything, it would actually hinder people's path to immortality, so the most they did was prevent those with low cultivation from entering.

The girl’s hand suddenly grabbed its head. Spiritual power protected her skin as her hand tightened, her fingers wedged into its lips so it couldn't close. In the next instant, the flower burst into red liquid, a heavy spiritual energy diffusing. Several mangled corpses appeared on the ground as if by magic. The other red flowers swayed cautiously; seeing no reaction from the girl, they quickly opened their mouths and swallowed the corpses.

Red liquid dripped from her palm. Only the stem of this flower was useful. Vane used small bottles to pack the stem segments and put them into his storage bag.

Zora stood up, staring at her blood-red hand, frowning: "It's slimy."

"Wait." Vane pulled out a clean handkerchief, then lowered his eyes and paused, suddenly unsure whether to hand the handkerchief to her or do it himself.

The youth paused for a moment. She didn't speak. He reached out tentatively, one hand pressing on her wrist, the other touching her soft palm through the handkerchief.

Zora didn't have much of a reaction; she only gave him a strange look. She wasn't helpless like before; she could use magic to clean herself now. But then, thinking of the mission, she decided to let him do it.

After all, accepting a servant's service was an important part of the mission. Moreover, it wasn't exactly service; she was very kind and merciful to him. Zora had seen ordinary master-servant relationships in her original world; they were much more hierarchical—if a master gave a piece of cake, the servant would be terrified and overwhelmed with gratitude. So that’s why the Oracle said progress was promising; her direction was correct. Zora thought.

Vane looked down, staring at the hand stained with thick red liquid. The parts that weren't stained were very fair, and the red made that fairness look even more like polished jade. Her hands were often cold, with thin callouses on the webbing of her thumb. The skin around the callouses would be more sensitive; her fingers would curl slightly when he wiped them.

As cultivators practiced, their bodies would be refined to look more like immortals. Callouses shouldn't really develop, but it was as if the two of them had formed callouses before their initiation. In the early stages of cultivation, callouses could still form easily; now at the Foundation Establishment stage, they wouldn't, yet neither of them thought to remove them.

The girl’s nails were rounded—he had trimmed them before. Learning this wasn't difficult. She once had a thin "red line" inside one nail, which should have been a mark from a needle piercing the nail bed. He had one too, though his nails were completely crushed and had no scars after regrowing. Now that their cultivation had improved, those old injuries of hers had vanished as well.

...Likely only he knew and firmly remembered the traces of her past. He had no interest in exploring the past, but knowing that he was the only one who knew the marks of her vanished past made the nerves in his brain twitch slightly.

The youth’s lashes flickered, and he suddenly felt a wave of that slight, excited tremor from the time he had accidentally entered the array and lost his memory.

...

Zora was watching the other red flowers that had finished eating the corpses; they were pretending to be roses, swaying lazily. Vane wiped very carefully and cleanly, so Zora noticed the moment he stopped and looked over.

The youth’s expression was as usual. He locked eyes with her for a few breaths, seemingly on the verge of breaking his composure. In the next moment, Vane deliberately brought up the previous topic and said, "You want to use a teleportation talisman in the secret realm?"

Zora: "Mhm, I want to follow Senior Sister Turi."

"..."

He lowered his eyes and continued to wipe her fingers one by one. After a moment of silence, the youth suddenly asked: "Is finding Senior Sister Turi more important than the risk of being caught violating the rules?"

Zora looked at him in confusion.

Vane also realized this shouldn't have been said: "...Apologies."

It became quiet again.

But Zora stared at his lowered face and moved her fingers. Several nails brushed against his palm like waves, and Vane froze instantly.

Zora stated: "You are unhappy."

Vane: "No."

Zora said seriously: "You have to discover that you are unhappy."

Vane: "..."

Zora: "Why are you unhappy?"

Vane shook his head: "...It’s nothing. That is not the case."

Zora’s face was full of doubt: "How am I supposed to know if you don't say it?"

The youth paused, his dark eyes lifting slightly to gaze at her: "Why ask me? What if I truly am in a poor mood?"

Zora said nonchalantly: "Then I’ll just finish listening to you explain why you’re unhappy, and that’s it."

Listening was the end of it. She wouldn't proactively do anything; she didn't know how to handle such things anyway.

"..."

Vane was stunned for a moment, then after a while, he gave a sudden smile. "I understand. I will do so in the future."

In the next instant, Vane withdrew the handkerchief. Zora looked at her hand and said, "That’s why I want you to say it out loud, and then you have to adjust yourself. After all, you still have to be my servant; you can't do a poor job."

Zora raised her hand. The youth paused slightly but didn't dodge. The side of her soft fingertip, with a small portion of her rounded nail and the soft pad of the finger, pressed against his face.

Sliding downward, the friction of the skin brought an instant of oddity. He stared fixedly at her upturned face. The girl's amber eyes were exceptionally clear in the sunlight, and he suddenly discovered that her eyes weren't just a simple brown, but had shades of light and dark, like sugar coating a black pupil.

His keen senses could even feel her breath. He tightened his lips unknowingly, thinking his heart was thumping violently, yet it was very steady, as if it too were stunned.

Zora wiped that drop of red liquid onto his face; a red mark appeared on the side of the youth's face. She frowned slightly and said: "It wasn't wiped clean after all."

She could use his blood for warmth, so she could naturally use his skin for wiping.

"...Apologies."

Zora gave a very kind and generous acknowledgment. Thinking of the teleportation talisman, she turned around: "I’m going to find Yiling Ke."

Vane paused and followed silently.

The meadow was lightly brushed by the breeze, various spiritual grasses swaying. Occasionally, Bell Grass made a crisp, tinkling sound, pleasant to the ear. It was only then that the youth’s heart seemed to react, giving a sudden, violent thump. His spiritual power reflexively bound it, bringing a stifling illusion of suffocation before quickly returning to stability.

The time his heartbeat went out of order was far too short—so short it felt like a hallucination. It wasn't even as noticeable as that habitual, self-imposed feeling of suffocation.