A reunion after more than a decade should have been a deeply moving scene.
However, Wang Yue’s reaction was entirely unexpected by Shang Can. As soon as they met, she teased Shang Can about her relationship with Yun Duan. Shang Can was momentarily taken aback, her heart, which had been racing intensely, suddenly calmed down, as if the misaligned gears of a machine had found their way back into sync and began to operate smoothly once more.
Confused about what to say first, Shang Can was interrupted by Wang Yue, who slowly walked up to her, looked her up and down, and then said something completely unrelated to the situation: “… Have you grown taller? Don’t tell me Yun Duan made you taller while using your body.”
Shang Can, who indeed had grown taller since leaving Qing Yu, frowned at Wang Yue’s words. “Using my body?”
Wang Yue immediately realized her mistake and, hesitatingly, glanced at Yun Duan, who stood silently beside her. “Haven’t you told her yet?”
Shang Can followed her gaze and felt the hand she held tremble slightly. She noticed Yun Duan’s eyes were cast downward, her long eyelashes fluttering gently. After a moment of silence, Yun Duan lightly shook her head at Wang Yue.
Wang Yue instantly showed a complex expression, as if to say, “So what have you two been talking about all this time?” She quickly turned serious and addressed Shang Can: “Your original body was burnt to ashes by yourself long ago. Even if we manage to retrieve your soul from the non-visible realm, where would we put it?”
Seeing Shang Can nodding attentively, Wang Yue couldn’t help but feel a bit emotional. She had a tendency to talk too much when excited, and sighed, “Honestly, I didn’t think of a good solution back then. At first, I thought about just finding a clay figure or something to put your soul in, but that idea was rejected by Duan Er.”
“… A clay figure…”
Shang Can’s face scrunched up at the thought, wondering about her master’s reliability. What was even scarier was that Wang Yue seemed to be serious. If Yun Duan hadn’t been there to stop her, Wang Yue might have actually gone ahead with the clay figure idea. It sounded like the plot of a ghost story.
“Then I thought about it; we can’t just let you melt away in the rain, that would be too inconvenient.” Wang Yue continued chatting without noticing her disciple’s complicated emotions. “Eventually, it was Duan Er who came up with a way to create the body you have now.”
Wang Yue gestured for Yun Duan to continue, and Yun Duan, no longer deflecting, exchanged a glance with Shang Can that spoke volumes of her unease, and softly said, “Do you remember when Qin Yi used a method to allow the ghost clan to possess bodies when they were attacked by demons outside of heaven?”
Shang Can suddenly recalled those ghosts disguised as demons and gasped, “… The puppet technique from outside heaven?”
Yun Duan nodded and added, “It’s based on the puppet technique, but there have been many modifications in its application. At least now, you won’t leave your soul behind if the body is damaged.”
“Not just that,” Wang Yue interjected, unable to hold back her enthusiasm, “I’ve never seen such a finely crafted technique. The way Duan Er was working on it, it seemed like she was about to take her own heart and implant it into your chest, since you’re only a hair’s breadth away from being a living person now.”
“…”
Shang Can was stunned and instinctively looked at Yun Duan, who avoided her gaze, remaining silent with her head bowed.
Yet the beating in her chest was undeniably real, and it gradually quickened.
Realizing the implications of what had been said, Shang Can suddenly felt at a loss for words. She looked away, trying to process all the information she had just heard. She then asked, “The puppet technique is an exclusive skill of the outside heaven; it shouldn’t be disclosed… Did you learn it from Pei Chen?”
Shang Can had already made up her mind internally when she asked, but Wang Yue shook her head without hesitation: “That brat is hiding away and won’t see anyone; you won’t be able to ask him anything.”
Shang Can raised her eyebrows in surprise, and Wang Yue continued reminiscing: “I got help from your friend from Bi Luo Huang Quan. Although I don’t know how Bi Luo Huang Quan came to have records of the techniques from outside heaven, Wen Shao doesn’t even know herself. It’s just that a few years ago, she stumbled upon a book in the library that detailed many matters related to outside heaven. She found it unexpectedly useful and rushed over to help.”
With a vague sense of confusion about how many secrets were hidden in the library of Bi Luo Huang Quan, Shang Can hesitated for a moment before softly asking, “… Does Master already know about Bi Luo Huang Quan?”
Wang Yue glanced at her, reflecting on how rare it was to see such an expression on Shang Can’s face. It suddenly struck her that the three of them had been standing at the door all this time. She hurriedly ushered them to sit down at the table, poured two cups of tea, and casually answered, “Yes, she knows.”
Shang Can was taken aback by Wang Yue’s casual tone, akin to replying “Have you eaten today?” She blinked in surprise while Yun Duan, who had been silent beside her, gently squeezed her hand and gave her a gentle smile when she looked over.
Although they had known each other for so many years, and the usually reserved Yun Zhong Jun had smiled countless times in her presence, every time Shang Can found Yun Duan’s smile beautiful and soothing, capable of calming the waves of her unease.
Wang Yue observed their small interaction with amusement, patiently waiting. When Shang Can looked back at her, Wang Yue feigned seriousness and sighed deeply, “Shang Can.”
Hearing her name for the first time since their reunion made Shang Can straighten her back instinctively, showing even more respect than during their previous encounters.
She was Wang Yue’s first disciple, and Wang Yue was her first master. Their relationship was not as formal as typical master-disciple bonds but more like that of long-lost friends. Shang Can’s carefree nature when she was at Qing Yu was closely tied to Wang Yue. Wang Yue had always been protective of her, never seriously scolding her, and Shang Can never imagined that one day she would feel so intimidated when Wang Yue called her by name.
Yet, after all these years, while Shang Can had changed considerably, Wang Yue seemed just like the figure from her memories. It was as if she hadn’t aged a day in all those years. Suddenly, Wang Yue reached out and ruffled Shang Can’s hair lightly, saying casually, “Why did you come today, in what capacity?”
Tilting her head due to Wang Yue’s not-so-gentle touch, Shang Can looked up in confusion and saw that Wang Yue’s expression remained unchanged, very thoughtfully adding, “Are you Shang Can from Qing Yu, or Shang Can from Bi Luo Huang Quan?”
“…”
Shang Can felt a bit at a loss. She couldn’t quite grasp the intention behind Wang Yue’s words, instinctively contemplating both sides, yet felt that whatever she said would be incorrect. After leaving Qing Yu for so many years, she shouldn’t consider herself a person of Qing Yu anymore. However, if she claimed to be from Bi Luo Huang Quan—it felt like a provocation in front of Wang Yue; she had no such intentions. Moreover, the title of “Can Zhe” should have vanished along with the fire years ago. She would never again appear as one of the most notorious demonic cultivators in the cultivation world.
Perhaps Wang Yue wanted her to say she was from Qing Yu. Shang Can thought this but then felt a twinge of guilt.
To be fair, she indeed missed her days in Qing Yu. The time of youthful exuberance was so brief, and she had sailed through it without encountering any significant troubles. If someone asked her whether she would want to return to those times, Shang Can might be swayed. But if asked whether she wished to return to Qing Yu now…
Even if she disregarded the fact that she was half-demon, given Qing Yu’s strict regulations, it would never permit disciples to be together.
At this point, Shang Can was well aware that her selfish desires had grown impossible to ignore. Having traversed the realms of emotions, she sought little yet felt it was extravagant. She had taken the treasures of Qing Yu without a second thought; just the thought of what might happen if this fact were to be exposed sent shivers down her spine.
As her thoughts raced, before she could sort everything out, Wang Yue, seemingly impatiently waiting for her response, flicked her forehead. Shang Can instinctively covered her forehead in pain, hearing Wang Yue click her tongue.
“Alright, why must you overthink everything? What’s the point of thinking so much?”
Wang Yue said, lightly laughing, her smile carrying a hint of mischief as she instructed her bewildered disciple: “Just say, ‘I am Yun Duan’s Shang Can,’ and that’s enough.”
Night.
Having spent the entire day with Wang Yue, Shang Can and Yun Duan left Yu Heng Hall only after night fell, slowly walking back to Shang Can’s residence under the night sky.
Logically, Shang Can shouldn’t have been walking openly on the roads of Qing Yu, especially since she had once been a famous figure there. Nowadays, more than half the people in Qing Yu would likely recognize her, and if spotted, it would create an awkward situation that she wouldn’t know how to explain. But Yun Duan insisted that she not wear a mask, and Shang Can relented, taking advantage of the low foot traffic on Yu Heng Peak to make the trip, thankfully without being seen.
However, after deciding not to wear a mask, she hadn’t considered it further, but someone else was feeling anxious. As Shang Can closed the door to her residence, she thoughtfully watched Yun Duan walk into the room and suddenly asked, “Why is your heartbeat so fast?”
“…” Yun Duan stiffened, hesitating for a long while before slowly turning around. A faint blush appeared on her fair face as she softly replied, “… You already know?”
Shang Can liked seeing this unaware radiance on her face. With a teasing smile, he lightly asked, “What? Are you referring to how your heart raced when you were outside, or… is it about how the heartbeat I’m feeling right now is actually synchronized with yours?”
Yun Duan felt increasingly flustered by Shang Can’s openly amused tone. Instinctively, she wanted to turn away, but quickly realized there was nowhere to escape in the cramped room. So, she forced herself to stop and, under Shang Can’s gentle gaze, let out a slow breath, stepping forward into Shang Can’s presence as if walking into a trap.
“… Both.” Yun Duan’s voice was low as she confessed, “It was only later… when I ran into you that I realized this. It’s probably due to the technique; you and I are connected.”
“As for why my heart raced when I was outside…”
Yun Duan hesitated for a moment, eventually lowering her gaze and softly saying, “… I don’t know.”
Shang Can felt a stir in her heart as she listened. Yun Duan continued slowly, “I actually wanted someone to see you, preferably someone we both know. Then I would have a chance and a reason to confess our relationship, to let everyone know that you’ve returned, that you’re by my side.”
“But when you really stepped out of this room, I started to get nervous again.” Yun Duan anxiously gripped a small piece of her clothing, her voice trembling slightly. “It felt like as soon as you stepped into the sunlight, you would disappear from my side.”
Recognizing the unease bubbling up in Yun Duan’s heart again, Shang Can took hold of her tightly clenched hand, gently freeing the wrinkled fabric. She then slowly pulled Yun Duan closer, whispering into her ear, “How could that be? You’re not a snowman.”
Yun Duan smiled softly, nuzzling against Shang Can’s neck, gradually calming down amidst the familiar warmth and scent. She quietly said, “… A Can, you should know that right now, it’s equivalent to your soul being forcibly confined within this body by me.”
“Even if you’re a phoenix, once this body is completely destroyed or I die, you won’t be able to undergo rebirth.”
Yun Duan’s voice was very soft, and she didn’t dare to lift her head to meet Shang Can’s gaze, instead pouring out her heart: “This in itself is already a shackle, and I… I don’t intend to unlock it.”
“I’ve never been the kind of innocent and harmless person you think I am, A Can.” With a hint of a sigh, Yun Duan sensed the bitter pain in her heart was likely already noticed by Shang Can, yet she maintained a calm voice as she continued, “You can blame me, but I won’t… let you go again.”
Having braced herself for a silence, Yun Duan didn’t expect Shang Can to respond immediately, her tone light and casual, “Hmm, alright.”
Noticing the person in her arms freeze, Shang Can easily tightened her embrace around Yun Duan’s waist, her other hand gently lifting a strand of dark hair behind her back, wrapping it around her fingers a few times. The black hair entwined around her slender fingers, as if she had tied it for herself.
“Speaking of which, since it’s the puppet technique, you should have a way to control me directly, right?” Shang Can’s tone was nonchalant. “Why haven’t you used it before?”
Yun Duan had no idea what Shang Can’s hand was doing behind her back; she only felt the fingers tapping lightly on her back a few times, stirring up a hint of intimacy. She tightened her arms around Shang Can, her voice carrying an unintentional, soft tremor as she stammered, “How could… that be used so casually…”
Deep down, she was still a person of propriety. Shang Can chuckled softly, her breath carrying a bright allure as she whispered in Yun Duan’s ear, “It’s okay.”
It’s okay. In the eternal sky, in a fleeting moment of wind and moon, I am only devoted to you.
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