“……”
Blending into the Dao Discussion Conference of the Heavenly Realm was much easier than she had imagined. The stolen invitation was quite useful, and the mask on her face was crafted so exquisitely that no one doubted her identity.
It was also within reason; after all, it was her—Can Zhe—who had put in the effort, and her behavior was cautious enough that it wasn’t easy for anyone to spot a flaw.
Therefore, the appearance of the person standing in front of her was indeed unexpected for Can Zhe.
The night was thick with darkness. Can Zhe stood with her hands behind her back at the door, her gaze subtly scanning the figure in white moving gracefully in the distance. The cultivator, Yun Zhong Jun, wore white robes. In the Heavenly Realm, there were at least hundreds, if not thousands, of people in white, but she had never seen anyone look as suited as this person did, nor had anyone worn it as beautifully as she.
Especially when the white robes were slightly disheveled, the skin exposed beneath seemed even fairer than the fabric itself, nearly blinding her eyes.
It had been quite some time since their last meeting, and the emotions surging within her were hard to suppress. Can Zhe forced herself to suppress the smile that had begun to rise, feeling as if it had been a century since then.
She had planned to feign the appearance of a clumsy cultivator, but the person in front of her didn’t give her that chance. When she spoke, her voice was cool and clear: “What are you doing in the Heavenly Realm?”
The direct inquiry was unceremonious. It was not the tone Can Zhe usually used, yet it made her abandon her pretense and let out a delighted laugh.
“How did you recognize me, Yun Zhong Jun?” Can Zhe chuckled flirtatiously, her voice shedding its disguise, “I thought you had forgotten me after all this time.”
Not waiting for Yun Zhong’s response, she took a step forward, leisurely walking toward the person not far away. She gazed fixedly at Yun Zhong, noticing the serene yet slightly furrowed brow, as if hesitating on how to respond to her approach. However, in the end, she did nothing and watched Can Zhe walk closer.
This person, who wore white robes every day, never became tiresome to look at. Standing there, she shone like the moon; her unadorned face was already captivating. Upon closer inspection, it was evident that Yun Zhong looked even more refined than before. She didn’t like wearing lipstick, and her lip color was naturally pale, giving her a delicate, fragile appearance at first glance.
When Can Zhe leaned down to kiss her, she felt Yun Zhong flinch slightly. But Can Zhe didn’t let her escape, forcefully holding the back of her head to pry open her tightly closed lips. The body in her arms remained tense, yet Can Zhe persistently took her pleasure, twisting and turning several times. Only when the pain struck her lips did she relent.
Tasting her own blood in her mouth, she found that Yun Zhong bit down mercilessly, but instead of anger, Can Zhe smiled, her gaze deliberately sweeping over the slightly reddened, tender lips of the person in front of her, which now bore a hint of her blood, reminiscent of ripe, sweet berries.
“Ah.” Can Zhe feigned ignorance, grinning, “Don’t you like this face?”
She saw a flicker of coldness flash in Yun Zhong’s usually calm eyes, followed by a cold retort: “I’m asking you why you came to the Heavenly Realm. Are you here to steal the Dao Heart Lotus seeds?”
How boring. Can Zhe felt a wave of boredom wash over her, lowering her eyelids. What would she want with such things?
She sensed that Yun Zhong didn’t understand her at all, which made her a little unhappy. Yet she couldn’t help but feel a flutter of joy at getting a kiss sooner than expected. The conflicting emotions swirled within her, but she ultimately decided to tell Yun Zhong the truth. Licking the wound on her lip, which must be deep, Can Zhe casually remarked amidst a slight sting.
“I’m here to steal you.”
“……”
To be honest, Can Zhe never felt like she understood what Yun Duan was thinking.
She glanced over at the cultivators from Tianwai Tian, who were glaring at her with ill intent, and then turned her gaze to the white-clad figure standing not far in front of her, narrowing her eyes with interest.
Their first encounter had occurred much earlier than anyone had expected. She was renowned as one of the top demonic cultivators in the world, and she couldn’t even remember why she had fought with Yun Zhong Jun. All she recalled was that she had lost.
Yun Duan had the chance to kill her that time. But perhaps because her jade-white mask had shattered during the fight, momentarily blinding Yun Zhong Jun, Can Zhe had escaped. Yun Duan had not made a move.
After her first defeat, Can Zhe had felt quite unsettled. A few days later, she had secretly followed Yun Zhong Jun and forced her way into teaching a group of low-level demonic cultivators a lesson for troubling Yun Zhong Jun, claiming it was a debt of gratitude. Unlike other cultivators who would have attacked her on sight, Yun Duan had simply sheathed her sword and turned to leave without acknowledging her.
Then—well, then they ended up in bed together. It had been Can Zhe taking advantage of the situation, but even now, she had no regrets. It was Yun Zhong Jun’s own fault for getting drugged and then running into her. After all, she was a demonic cultivator, not a paragon of virtue.
But Can Zhe knew that when she had resolved to undress Yun Duan that night, she was already prepared to die by Yun Duan’s sword the next day. She accepted her fate and had no intention of resisting. Yet for some reason, Yun Duan hadn’t acted.
Yun Duan neither initiated nor responded but also did not refuse her. Can Zhe didn’t know how to define their relationship and found herself unconsciously reluctant to bring it up, leading to their current situation.
What was happening now? She had just escaped from the Tianwai Tian debate gathering a few days ago. Why would Yun Zhong Jun stand up to vouch for her when the cultivators came looking for her?
It couldn’t possibly be because she loved her, Can Zhe thought.
“If Can Zhe cannot provide substantial evidence to prove that Bi Luo Huang Quan did not attack Tianwai Tian, then apart from what she heard from the invaders that day, can Tianwai Tian provide substantial evidence to prove this point?”
Ah, it was rare to hear Yun Zhong Jun speak such a long sentence.
She knew she shouldn’t, but Can Zhe couldn’t help but zone out, wanting to see what expression Yun Duan had on her face at that moment. It took her a great deal of effort to suppress the urge. From the cultivators’ reactions, she guessed Yun Duan must have had a cold expression, which she was used to seeing. There was no need to act strangely at such a moment.
She had been lost in thought for a bit too long. When she regained her focus, Yun Duan was already standing beside her, calmly addressing the crowd’s doubts about the evidence: “No need to worry. I will go with her.”
Can Zhe knew in her heart why Yun Duan would vouch for her.
After all, among all these people, only she and Yun Duan knew what she had truly gone to Tianwai Tian to do.
It was simply because Yun Zhong Jun was a fair and reasonable person. Her willingness to stand up was based on the fact that she knew Can Zhe hadn’t led Bi Luo Huang Quan to attack Tianwai Tian. Yun Zhong Jun was that kind of person, entirely devoid of personal bias or favoritism.
Just that.
If she didn’t know anything, it would have been nice. Then she could have believed it.
If only that were true.
“……”
Today was Yun Duan’s birthday.
The journey was hardly comfortable; the enemies of Can Zhe and Yun Zhong Jun combined could practically equal the entirety of the immortal cultivation world, with countless ambushes along the way. The greatest misjudgment these people could make was probably not expecting the two of them to team up against the outside world.
Can Zhe was feeling a bit annoyed. This morning, she had planned to buy a birthday gift out of gratitude, but just as she had sneaked out the door, enemies had come looking for her, wasting her time for shopping. She was so irritable that if Yun Duan hadn’t arrived in time, she might have ended up killing that cultivator without holding back.
Now, not only had she failed to buy a gift, but she had also angered the birthday girl. The two of them were currently walking one after the other, and Can Zhe glanced furtively at the figure ahead. She felt that the familiar white robes seemed to emanate a heavier coldness than usual.
But as someone who prided herself on her eloquence, Can Zhe found herself at a loss. She knew she was in the wrong and couldn’t bring herself to explain to Yun Duan that sneaking out wasn’t meant to cause trouble; she was just procrastinating behind Yun Duan, kicking the stones by the roadside as if they were the heads of her oblivious enemies, making quite a racket. Yun Duan must have heard it, but she continued walking with her back straight, not turning her head once.
They were supposed to be heading into the mountains to investigate something, but at that moment, Can Zhe had no mind for such matters. She felt an inexplicable heaviness in her heart. If this stagnant atmosphere continued, she would surely die there. Proud and headstrong, Can Zhe turned over a hundred thoughts in her mind before finally mustering her courage, letting out a long breath, and taking a few steps to reach Yun Duan’s side, grabbing her wrist to make her stop.
Yun Duan turned to her, her face bright and serene like the moon, her eyes pure and flawless, gazing quietly.
Can’t tell, Can Zhe thought. I can’t tell at all whether she’s angry. Maybe it’s just me performing a solo act, being overly sentimental.
But never mind; today was her birthday, and the birthday girl had the most say.
Can Zhe blinked, and in the next breath, the sky behind her suddenly burst into countless shades of crimson gold—it was her celestial fire, but this time, it wasn’t used for killing as it usually was. For the first time, the unparalleled power of celestial fire was used solely for a grand display of fireworks, soaring into the sky and scattering into fragments of golden light, filling half the sky with brilliant, dazzling hues, a sight never before seen in the immortal cultivation world.
“Happy Birthday.”
The intense consumption of spiritual energy made Can Zhe feel somewhat unwell, but she still maintained her composure and slowly spoke. She met Yun Duan’s black-and-white eyes, hesitating for a moment, as if it lasted a century, and when she spoke again, her tone was soft and gentle, uttering a name she had never called before.
“…Duan’er.”
She saw the calm eyes immediately ripple with uncertainty, like a stone thrown into a still lake. Can Zhe honestly didn’t know how to react, especially since she was currently gritting her teeth, suppressing words that felt like they were lodged in her throat.
So, she said nothing, merely leaning slightly forward to kiss Yun Duan’s lips.
This time, Yun Duan didn’t dodge or push her away.
“……”
“It’s been a long time since I’ve seen that kind of gaze.”
Behind her is the ghost gate she just broke open, with countless ghostly beings howling as they return to the human world through the shattered barrier. The cold, eerie aura stirs an uncomfortable feeling within Canzhe, but she doesn’t move, instead holding her smile and looking at Yun Duan, who stands not far away, sword drawn and aimed at her.
Yun Duan looks like a taut bow, her voice shaking slightly as she asks, “…Why are you doing this?”
“……”
Canzhe gazes deeply at her, not even knowing what kind of expression she hopes to see on Yun Duan’s face. The burning pain inside her from overexerting her spiritual energy hasn’t subsided yet, and she hears her own voice come out flippant and harsh: “Shouldn’t Yun Zhongjun be happy that I’m doing this?”
She sees the emotions on Yun Duan’s face fracture like cracked ice, and she smiles widely, feeling no joy in her supposed victory, only emptiness.
“You’ve been looking for a ghost, haven’t you?”
Canzhe says softly, using her seemingly intact exterior to cover the decay beneath.
Her eyes squint as she smiles, but she doesn’t continue that thought, her tone suddenly laced with fatigue: “…You’re finally looking at me.”
“I am Canzhe.”
“I am the demon cultivator of Biluo Huangquan, the enemy of righteousness, the great villain who breaks the ghost realm’s barrier and stirs chaos in the world.”
Facing Yun Duan’s gaze, Canzhe speaks each word deliberately, spitting out the dark ashes of the past that have lodged in her throat, savoring the sight of Yun Duan’s face turning pale with sharp satisfaction.
“—But I am not the Qingyu disciple named Shang Can, nor am I your… short-lived junior sister.”
“……”
“…………”
With a loud clap, Shang Can slammed the book shut and placed it on the table, feeling a splitting headache.
There were so many things she wanted to say, but she didn’t know where to start. Her eyes inadvertently glanced at the cover of the book on the table, which bore the title “Can’s Cloud,” igniting another throb in her temples. Gritting her teeth, she pushed the book forward toward the silent figure sitting across from her, forcing a smile through her anger.
“…Are you really spending all your time in Yuheng reading this? Reading about your two disciples?”
“……”
Wang Yue held her tongue, deeply regretting not hiding the book when her disciples visited, her voice small and submissive: “…Just reading it for fun, just for fun…”
Shang Can let out a cold laugh, pushing a stack of books nearby toward Wang Yue, pointing at the pile: “Take this ‘Can’s Cloud’ for instance; it’s still a serialized novel. There are seven volumes out, and you have the whole set here. The latest volume just came out a week ago. Clearly, you’re following it closely!”
With ironclad evidence, Wang Yue had no retort. Instead, she blinked and began to whine in a rather unrefined manner, pretending to wipe nonexistent tears as she lamented: “Well, it’s not like I could act carelessly back when you hadn’t acknowledged Duan, Master. I couldn’t meddle, so I could only keep an eye on you through your novels. Now that I’ve read it, I just want to see the ending. What’s wrong with wanting to follow through to the end? Why is it wrong to read half of it?”
“……”
Shang Can felt that the emphasis of her words was a bit odd, but hearing Wang Yue mention the past days when they were unacknowledged made her lose her temper, so she sighed and said softly, “…But just look at the plot; the adaptations are way too drastic. What short-lived junior sister? Don’t you think it has a bit of a curse on my disciple?”
“That’s not the author’s fault. You all have never acknowledged that Canzhe and Shang Can are the same person. Shouldn’t the author have the freedom to create? Creativity is free! But don’t bring this up to Duan, okay?”
Wang Yue felt she had the upper hand, her posture straightening, and she seized the moment to ask: “…What do you think? Isn’t it well-written?”
Shang Can’s throat tightened, and she replied dryly, “What do you mean? I wouldn’t do that to Duan like it says in the book.”
“Really?” Wang Yue raised an eyebrow, “But didn’t you only—”
With a rush, Shang Can stood up abruptly and fled, not looking back.
She hurried away, soon reaching the martial arts arena by Yuheng, where Yun Duan was practicing her swordplay alone. Shang Can had originally planned to wait patiently for her to finish her routine, but Yun Duan, as if sensing her presence, glanced in her direction and immediately sheathed her sword.
“Have you finished talking with Master?” Yun Duan asked as she quickly approached Shang Can, casually smoothing the creases in her clothes caused by her hurried movements, gently saying, “Why didn’t you call me?”
“I just arrived; I wanted to wait for you to finish.”
Shang Can smiled, actually having decided on her way not to bring up the matter of her Master sneaking a peek at their novel. However, now that the other party was standing right in front of her, it was easy to think about the content of the novel she had just read, causing her to hesitate.
To be honest, the aftereffects were strong.
Noticing something unusual about Shang Can and seeing her face gradually flush, Yun Duan frowned lightly: “What did you talk about with Master?”
Not much, Shang Can thought. Just reading a surrogate novel featuring us as protagonists.
Seeing Yun Duan’s frown deepen as Shang Can remained silent, she sighed inwardly and decided to confide everything about Master to Yun Duan. But not now; maybe tonight, when they lie side by side, she would mischievously ask Yun Duan, “Which do you prefer, the Qingyu version of me or the Biluo Huangquan version of me?”
But Shang Can already knew the answer. If it came down to it, if Yun Duan were placed in a situation like that in “Can’s Cloud,” Canzhe probably wouldn’t have a chance.
Fortunately, it hadn’t come to that, and thankfully, she still stood beside Yun Duan, and everything was just right—a resolution that the novel’s author would never have imagined.
Shang Can thought for a moment and suddenly asked, “Do you want to see fireworks, Duan?”
Her question seemed abrupt, and Yun Duan blinked in surprise, instinctively nodding, “I want to see them with A Can.”
Shang Can smiled, her tone gentle and soft.
“Then I’ll show you fireworks every day from now on.”
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