This time, the experience was far more profound and memorable than their previous innocence, as they embraced one another in a corner where no one could witness.
Qu Weiyin ultimately couldn’t hold back any longer, her voice hoarse and nearly exhausted. She gently clasped Luo Jinxiao’s hand, whispering for her to stop.
At first, Luo Jinxiao resisted, but when she saw the mix of anger and desperation in Qu Weiyin’s eyes, she finally relented, rolling onto her side to lie beside her.
The sky had already darkened, transforming into a dim shade of blue, with only a few remnants of white light lingering at the edges. Their breaths intertwined, gradually calming down.
Luo Jinxiao picked up her outer garment from beside her and gently draped it over Qu Weiyin, shielding her from the surrounding clutter.
Qu Weiyin let out a small huff, completely lacking the energy to deal with her at that moment. She was wearied and simply wanted to sleep.
As Luo Jinxiao watched Qu Weiyin, her heart swelled with joy. She reached out, attempting to adjust Qu Weiyin gently to find a more comfortable position on the soft couch, but Qu Weiyin pushed her away.
“Don’t move; I’m tired,†Qu Weiyin replied gruffly.
“Hmm? Tired from what?†Luo Jinxiao asked, her curiosity piqued.
Feeling bashful, Qu Weiyin didn’t want to respond. Instead, she turned away from Luo Jinxiao, presenting her smooth back to her, its graceful lines reminding Luo Jinxiao of a flawless jade Ruyi.
Luo Jinxiao snuggled closer and wrapped her arms around Qu Weiyin from behind, serving as a shield against the wind.
“Little Master Uncle.â€
“What is it?†Qu Weiyin mumbled, eyes still closed.
“Nothing much, just wanted to call you,†Luo Jinxiao responded playfully, placing a soft kiss on the nape of Qu Weiyin’s neck.
Qu Weiyin quickly fell asleep, utterly exhausted from the day’s events, her breathing gentle and even, clearly in a deep slumber.
She had no nightmares, unconsciously leaning closer into Luo Jinxiao’s embrace. Luo Jinxiao softly adjusted Qu Weiyin’s disheveled clothing, then nestled against her and drifted into a deep sleep.
In the sea of flowers, the wind was barely discernible, silent and still, and the ancient bed held a mélange of sweet fragrances.
They slept for a long time, and when they finally woke up, the sky was bright. Luo Jinxiao rubbed her eyes, and when her hand brushed against the side, she startled and nearly fell over.
A hand reached out and steadied her, a teasing tone accompanying it: “What’s wrong? You’re so reckless.â€
Hearing her voice, Luo Jinxiao exhaled a sigh of relief. “I thought you had disappeared again.â€
“I would have liked to go out, but your barrier is something I can’t break,†Qu Weiyin responded as she bent down to pick a red flower, gently placing it among a handful of flowers in her embrace.
She was dressed neatly, looking nothing like she had the night before. Her long skirt trailed over the petals, flowing gracefully and leaving no trace of injury.
Luo Jinxiao chuckled and jumped beside her. She hadn’t noticed before, but the sound of birds chirping and insects buzzing filled the air, with breezes rustling through the flowers, causing the entire field to tilt.
The wind lifted Qu Weiyin’s hair, which she had tied back, and delicate light blue butterflies landed in her locks.
Qu Weiyin turned her water-laden phoenix eyes towards Luo Jinxiao, giving her a captivating glance before turning and striding towards the edge of the flower field. Luo Jinxiao felt her heart skip at the sight, nearly losing herself in that moment, and only rushed to follow once Qu Weiyin had moved a distance away.
In the vast expanse of vibrant colors, the two figures—a red and a blue—strolled through the flowers, one moving gracefully and the other bouncing with energy.
After three years of restoration, the demon realm appeared the same as before, filled with abundant spiritual energy and lush vegetation. A few small demons darted past them, casting furtive glances.
“Where are we going now?†Qu Weiyin asked, inching closer to Luo Jinxiao and taking her hand.
Luo Jinxiao happily held onto Qu Weiyin’s supple fingers and pondered, “Let’s return to the heavenly realm; it’s quiet there.â€
“Are we not going to say goodbye to your master and little sister?†Qu Weiyin hesitated for a moment before adding, “And the sect leader?â€
“That is also necessary, but you…â€
Qu Weiyin squeezed her hand gently, shaking her head. “If we go back, we may not come out for a long time. Life is unpredictable, so it’s better to pay a visit; they must be very worried about you.â€
“You don’t need to worry about me. I’m a demon; it’s not wise for me to show my face. I can find a place to wait for you.â€
Qu Weiyin’s tone was remarkably calm as she spoke, but to Luo Jinxiao, it felt unsettling, as if the fact that she was a demon meant she had to live in the shadows.
Moreover, in such a vast Wuhui Sect, there was no one for her to actually say goodbye to.
Luo Jinxiao remained silent for a moment before suddenly laughing. “No, I must go back with you, and I need to inform the Wuhui Sect that we are now married.â€
Qu Weiyin lifted her gaze.
“Look, hardly anyone knows about our marriage yet, so I need to return and let the whole world, far and wide, celebrate for us!†Luo Jinxiao declared brightly, pulling Qu Weiyin along as they ran a few steps.
Hearing this, Qu Weiyin bit her red lip, a smile touching her face as she shook her head.
“I think you just want everyone to see you as their enemy,†she softly reproached.
“That’s perfect! I want to show you what the ancient gods are capable of,†Luo Jinxiao said, a proud look on her face as she patted her chest.
At the entrance of the demon realm, the tree spirit stood waiting. Upon seeing the two of them holding hands, she rushed forward and exclaimed in surprise, “You two are leaving already? I thought you would stay here for a while longer.â€
“We have some pressing matters to attend to. Thank you for your hospitality,†Luo Jinxiao replied.
“What hospitality? Yesterday, I had no idea where you two went. I searched for ages and couldn’t find you,†the tree spirit frowned.
Qu Weiyin coughed softly from the side.
“Such beautiful scenery should be considered hospitality,†Luo Jinxiao said, only to feel a sharp pinch on her back from Qu Weiyin, causing her to nearly burst into tears. She managed a wry smile and waved her hand at the tree spirit.
The tree spirit paused for a moment, then quickly returned to her usual self. As she opened the barrier, she warned, “I sense that there may be heavy rain in the coming days. Be careful of lightning.â€
At the end of summer, rain was quite common, and Luo Jinxiao assumed she was merely being polite, so she responded with a smile.
However, the tree spirit then grasped her sleeve, pondering for a moment before emphasizing, “It may not be ordinary rain.â€
Luo Jinxiao halted and turned to look into her dark green eyes.
Suddenly, it felt as though a stone had been thrown into her heart, sinking deeper with an unsettling weight.
Seeing Qu Weiyin approach, Luo Jinxiao instantly regained her composure, flashing a bright smile at the tree spirit as she waved goodbye. She pulled Qu Weiyin closer, and together they stepped onto their sword, disappearing into the horizon.
The return from the demon realm to the Wuhui Sect didn’t take long.
As the familiar rolling hills came into view, Luo Jinxiao’s unsettled heart calmed somewhat. She turned to Qu Weiyin and saw her lips curving into a subtle smile, a clear manifestation of her relaxation.
Wuzhong City had just shaken off the disturbances caused by the demon race. It appeared vibrant with blooming flowers and lush willows, and the bustling streets were alive with the sounds of numerous people, even drifting up into the skies.
“It’s wonderful,†Luo Jinxiao said to herself.
They flew over Wuzhong City, gliding across the twisting rivers below. Beneath them were the familiar, shimmering white jade pillars, and not far off at the mountainside, the disciples were cultivating, releasing an aura that swirled around the colorful flowers on the white jade platform.
Qu Weiyin’s demonic aura quickly attracted the attention of the disciples, and several of them suddenly appeared at the entrance, weapons ready, gazing at the two of them with guarded expressions.
“Luo Jinxiao?†someone in the crowd called out, and Yanying with a long whip strode forward, waving her hand to command the others to lower their weapons.
“You’re finally back! Luo Ning has been worrying about you so much; she’s almost driven herself crazy,†Yanying said with a hint of irritation, tucking her whip at her waist. However, as soon as she finished speaking, she caught sight of Qu Weiyin, who stood silently beside Luo Jinxiao, causing her to startle.
Qu Weiyin sensed Yanying’s gaze and slightly turned her head away.
“We… came back to visit,†Luo Jinxiao replied cheerfully, stepping ahead to shield Qu Weiyin. “How are things in the Sect?â€
“Good, quite good! The demon race has disappeared, and everything seems to be back on track,†Yanying said, before turning to the other disciples and vigorously waving them away, signaling for them to disperse.
“Isn’t that Senior Sister Luo and Little Master Uncle Qu?†someone whispered from within the group.
“That’s what it seems, but wasn’t Little Master Uncle Qu possessed by the demon?†another voice questioned.
“I told you to disperse! Are your ears deaf?†Yanying suddenly shouted, catching everyone off guard and causing them to scatter like birds startled from their perch.
“Goodness, it’s like welcoming trouble,†Yanying grumbled, clapping her hands. “I heard that after Brother Siyu learned about Little Master Uncle Qu’s situation, he was thrown into a frenzy and is now being forcibly locked away for secluded cultivation, so it falls on me to manage things around here.â€
A smile lit up her face as she spoke about the incident.
“Luo Jinxiao!†A bright voice rang out, and Lu Fanzhi charged in from an unknown direction, slapping Luo Jinxiao on the shoulder with enthusiasm. Her face crinkled into a wide grin. “You’ve finally come back! I thought you’d been swallowed whole by Little Master Uncle Qu!â€
Luo Jinxiao expressionlessly shifted her position, revealing Qu Weiyin’s face. Lu Fanzhi instantly froze in place.
“Take us to Elder Liu and the sect leader,†Luo Jinxiao instructed.
Perhaps because Qu Weiyin was present, Lu Fanzhi stayed quiet during the journey, merely following along with watchful eyes, while Yanying, being bolder, took the opportunity to ask about everything that had happened since they left the Wuhui Sect.
Curious disciples had already started trailing behind them. Even though Yanying scolded them harshly several times, they remained undeterred and quickly formed a long line.
“So, Little Master Uncle Qu didn’t happen to turn into a demon after all?†Yanying exclaimed in surprise as they arrived at the entrance of the Wuhui Palace, pushing the door open.
The large door creaked open slowly, and the first thing they saw was the sect leader, still dressed in white. She seemed a bit thinner than before, but her composure remained unchanged, sitting upright in her seat. Upon seeing Luo Jinxiao, her pale eyes widened slightly, her hands gripping the armrests tightly as if she were about to stand.
However, she soon composed herself and sat back down casually.
“Sister!†A bright voice rang out as Luo Ning rushed toward Luo Jinxiao, pulling on her arm. “You’re back!â€
Her eyes sparkled with joy, indicating that she had been quite happy during this time apart.
It was understandable; after carrying the weight of millennia, she could finally set it down, no doubt feeling much lighter as a result.
“Easy now,†Yanying muttered from the side, tugging on Luo Ning to pull her away from Luo Jinxiao.
“Don’t touch me,†Luo Ning retorted, shaking off her grasp.
A warm feeling surged in Luo Jinxiao’s heart as she reached out to pat Luo Ning’s head. Their eyes met, and they mirrored each other by mimicking a playful gesture with their hands.
“Sister,†Luo Ning said with a radiant smile, her eyes glistening with moisture.
“You’re back,†the sect leader suddenly spoke, her voice soft and clear, as if it had come from the heavens.
“Now that you’re back, let’s go through everything in detail,†she continued.
Hearing this, Luo Jinxiao stepped forward, bowing respectfully to Elder Liu, who wore a stern expression on the side, and systematically recounted the events surrounding Qu Weiyin.
Once she finished, the hall fell into a profound silence.
Everyone fell silent for a moment, and suddenly, Gui Jiu, who had been lingering in the corner, slapped his forehead as he realized, “So, two years ago when we encountered the demon race, you personally pursued them to save me under the eyes of all those demons?â€
He wore an expression of deep remorse, saying, “I had wondered why I was able to escape from the Demon Lord’s clutches; I was being petty-minded.â€
“It’s no trouble,†Qu Weiyin finally spoke up, who had been taciturn until now.
“Have you two made a secret vow to be together? What a rebellious disciple!†Elder Liu finally grasped the situation, pulling out his staff and swinging it at Luo Jinxiao. Luo Jinxiao was startled and quickly turned, scrambling away in a panic.
“Master, how can you only hear that part?†Luo Jinxiao laughed bitterly as she ran, ultimately hiding behind the sect leader to dodge the attack.
“Enough, enough,†the sect leader waved her sleeve, signaling Elder Liu to calm down, before turning to pull Luo Jinxiao closer for inspection. She looked her up and down, then turned to glance at Qu Weiyin.
Qu Weiyin’s expression had turned icy.
“Do you both know that disciples of the Wuhui Sect are not allowed to marry? Once married, you are no longer considered part of the Wuhui Sect,†the sect leader said with a serious demeanor, her thin lips pressed tightly together.
Just as Luo Jinxiao was about to speak, the sect leader abruptly shifted her train of thought.
“However, these are just old regulations from a hundred years ago. With me here now, I can change them.â€
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