Although Shang Can knew that hiding her identity from Yunduan wouldn’t be as simple as she’d hoped, she didn’t expect that they hadn’t even set out yet before Yunduan started staring at her so directly.
Back in Tianwaitian, it had only been subtle probing, Shang Can thought. But now, it was so blatant that Yunduan might as well have just asked her outright, “What was our relationship before?”
Whose fault was this? Was her acting that terrible, or was Yunduan just that sensitive, despite losing her memory?
Shang Can glanced at the hem of Yunduan’s white robe out of the corner of her eye and sighed heavily in her heart.
Ever since Yunduan mentioned the timing of when that mark appeared on her body, the two of them hadn’t had any meaningful conversations.
Should she count herself lucky that Yunduan didn’t dwell too much on the strange coincidence between those two time points? After Yunduan finished speaking, she simply headed towards the Yao Lord’s hall, leaving Shang Can standing there in a daze for a moment before hurriedly following.
Shang Can truly had no knowledge of that mark.
…It was strange. She had thought she was the only one in this relationship who remembered everything clearly, yet now there were things even she didn’t know about. What on earth—
“Hey, are you even listening to me?!”
A sudden gust of wind came from ahead, and Shang Can instinctively dodged to the side, narrowly avoiding a vine that whipped toward her aggressively.
She looked up to see Wan Shao, whose face was full of displeasure, and casually nodded, “Of course. You were just saying… after I broke the barrier, the remaining demons scattered in all directions, right?”
“That’s what I said when you first arrived. That was ten minutes ago. Now, go stand over there as punishment.”
Wan Shao pointed angrily toward the corner of the wall, and Shang Can shrugged, obediently walking over and striking a pose to indicate she was all ears.
“…Anyway,” Wan Shao, after her outburst, seemed in a worse mood. She glared at Shang Can before continuing, “Those remaining demons have all disappeared without a trace.”
“Really, Yao Lord?” Shang Can couldn’t help but interject, “All of them? Just vanished?”
Her tone was filled with doubt, as if questioning whether Wan Shao had done a thorough job, which made Wan Shao summon another vine and smack her on the head in anger. “I said they’re missing, and they are missing!”
“I don’t know what happened with those demons. From the rumors I’ve gathered, nine out of ten say they disappeared as if into thin air… Do you think this is my fault?”
“Hmm…”
Shang Can frowned, recalling how the bodies of the demons she killed under the arena that day had all mysteriously vanished, and she fell into deep thought.
“It was the same when we fought the imposter Shang Can.”
Yunduan, who hadn’t spoken since entering the Yao Lord’s hall, finally broke her silence. She glanced at Shang Can, who was still standing in the corner, and said, “That person disappeared into thin air too.”
As soon as Yunduan finished speaking, the vine that had been persistently tapping at Shang Can’s forehead suddenly vanished into thin air as well. Shang Can thought to herself how fitting it was that Wan Shao’s abilities matched the situation so well, but when she looked up, she saw that Wan Shao had a strange expression on her face. She glanced between Yunduan and Shang Can, a knowing look in her eyes, but said nothing.
Shang Can had a feeling that if she asked Wan Shao anything right now, the response wouldn’t be pleasant, so she quickly moved the conversation along: “Well, it seems we’ll have to check the area ourselves — or do you have any suggestions?”
“Suggestions… I suppose I have one.”
Now that they were back to the main topic, Wan Shao’s expression turned serious, but there was a hint of hesitation in her brow. She pulled out a map of Tianwaitian and tapped on a specific location.
“This place has the most rumors circulating about it. Many people claim to have seen large numbers of demons flee here, and then they vanished.”
She handed the map to Shang Can, frowning, “I had Night Crows investigate this place already. It’s just an ordinary mountain. We searched thoroughly but only found a few minor demons, and they weren’t the ones who attacked Tianwaitian.”
Shang Can glanced at the map and responded, “So your suggestion is that we should go there and take a look?”
“Having a destination is better than wandering around aimlessly. Still, I can’t shake the feeling that… there’s something off about how these rumors seem so deliberate.”
Shang Can raised an eyebrow, understanding Wan Shao’s concern. Before she could speak, Wan Shao relaxed her expression and gave her a mischievous grin.
“But even if it’s a trap, since they’ve gone through so much trouble to set it up, why not go check it out?” she teased. Then, glancing at Yunduan, she added politely, “As for Yunzhong-jun, of course, you’re free to act independently. I’ll assign our people from Biluo Huangquan to assist you.”
“We’re working with cultivators for the first time in ages; we can’t let Yunzhong-jun face danger alone.” She shot a playful wink at Shang Can. “Did you hear that?”
…What nonsense. Like Shang Can needed her to say that.
She couldn’t be bothered to respond to Wan Shao, thinking how nice it would be if this could actually convince Yunduan to stop following her. But of course, she heard Yunduan’s calm voice: “No need. I’ll accompany Shang Can.”
See? This person never took no for an answer. Especially now, with their relationship becoming more complicated by the day, of course she wouldn’t just let it go — wait a minute, was this Wan Shao’s plan all along? Had she learned the art of reverse psychology?
Amused, Shang Can maintained a calm expression and said, “Since that’s settled, let’s prepare to set off.”
She cleared her throat dramatically and turned to Wan Shao, “Oh, right. I heard you wanted to talk to me about something, Yao Lord?”
As she spoke, she frantically shot meaningful glances at Wan Shao. Though confused, Wan Shao quickly caught on and exaggeratedly replied, “Ah—yes, right, I had a… uh, personal matter to discuss…?”
…Terrible acting. She couldn’t even improvise.
As Shang Can silently mocked Wan Shao’s terrible acting skills, she saw Yunduan nod thoughtfully before turning to leave, her voice cool: “I’ll wait outside.”
Once Yunduan was out of sight, Shang Can urgently turned to Wan Shao. “Quick, give me some paper and a brush. I need to ask you something.”
Though baffled, Wan Shao complied and watched as Shang Can furrowed her brow and began drawing something on the paper.
“…What’s this? A new kind of spell?”
“Of course not. There’s no such spell with this pattern…”
Hearing the confusion in Wan Shao’s voice, Shang Can’s spirits sank. She finished the drawing, handed the paper to Wan Shao, and asked, “Look carefully. Does this pattern seem familiar at all?”
“Maybe you’ve seen something like it before. Any impression will do.”
Sensing the seriousness in her tone, Wan Shao studied the pattern intently for a long moment, her brows knitting together in concentration. But eventually, she shook her head, giving up.
“I’ve never seen it. Not the slightest clue.”
“…I see.”
A heavy feeling settled in Shang Can’s heart as she lowered her gaze.
The pattern she’d drawn was, of course, the one she’d seen on Yunduan’s waist last night.
She had hoped that, since the design seemed ancient, and since she hadn’t been able to identify it, maybe Wan Shao might know something. But that hope had been dashed. Feeling frustrated, Shang Can took back the paper and burned it in her palm. Seeing her grim expression, Wan Shao hesitantly asked, “What’s going on? Where did you see that mark?”
“…”
Shang Can hesitated for a long time before finally shaking her head and lowering her voice.
“…The medicine you gave me back then…”
“Medicine?”
Wanshao was stunned for a moment before reacting, looking puzzled. “Are you talking about that… half-finished product? What about it? Didn’t you say you lost it?”
“You didn’t just find it and then eat it, did you?” Wanshao’s face changed dramatically, looking anxious. “You know, I got that thing after my mother passed away. Aside from knowing it only works on cultivators, we don’t know anything else about it, not even the exact effects. I’m sure it’s not poison, but it’s been so long—what if you get a stomachache?”
“…No.”
Shang Can pinched her forehead, denying it.
“I’m talking about medicine that can cure soul-loss syndrome. Can you make that?”
Not wanting to keep Yunduan waiting too long, Shang Can quickly exited the Demon Lord’s Hall.
That graceful figure, dressed in flowing white, was standing properly by the hall’s entrance. The two demon guards nearby appeared stiff and nervous. When they saw Shang Can step out, they both visibly relaxed and greeted her eagerly.
Shang Can smiled at them and walked over to Yunduan’s side, joking, “With Lord Yunzong standing here, I’d say they’re doing their duty with extra enthusiasm.”
“Is that so?”
Yunduan turned to glance at the two anxious demon guards before looking back at Shang Can. “Then, can I come here often?”
“…”
Shang Can pursed her lips and smiled. “I think it’s better if you don’t.”
They held each other’s gaze for a moment before both turned away simultaneously.
“So our next destination will be that place we just discussed.” Shang Can smoothly changed the topic as if nothing had happened, asking, “Does Lord Yunzong have any questions?”
“No.”
Yunduan responded in her usual calm and light tone: “The Demon Lord of Biluo Huangquan is correct. Even if it’s a trap, that just means there are definitely clues there, and we should take a look.”
This must be what it means to have confidence that comes with skill, Shang Can thought. After all, when most people realize a trap is waiting, their first instinct is to avoid it.
“But I do have another question.”
Yunduan continued without regard for Shang Can’s sudden discomfort. “You and the Demon Lord… don’t seem to have an ordinary superior-subordinate relationship.”
“…Oh, that.”
Even though it was still a personal question, at least it wasn’t as awkward as before. Shang Can considered that it was probably a reasonable observation for any cultivator who had witnessed her and Wanshao’s interactions. After thinking for a moment, she replied, “Well, we’ve known each other for a long time.”
They certainly had known each other for quite a while.
Not just during the nine-plus years Shang Can had been in Biluo Huangquan. She had known Wanshao since her days as a disciple of Qingyu Sect.
Their first meeting was when Shang Can had left the mountain for a training journey. At the time, her group had just completed their mission and was preparing to return to Qingyu after a brief rest. As the team leader, Shang Can was checking on everyone’s condition when her brow furrowed.
“Sister Jiang,” she grinned at a tall woman, “Why did you change the incense today? I thought the jasmine from yesterday was quite nice.”
The woman was startled but quickly smiled, saying, “It was too sweet, so I switched it.”
“Is that so?”
Shang Can smiled, but then without warning, she spun and thrust her sword.
She didn’t strike to kill, so the woman barely dodged, her face full of confusion. “What’s the meaning of this, Junior Sister?”
“You’re asking me that?” Shang Can chuckled, twirling her sword casually. “The real Senior Sister Jiang doesn’t even use incense—and her surname is Su, not Jiang.”
Of course, the person in front of her was none other than Wanshao, who had only recently ascended to the position of Demon Lord of Biluo Huangquan. At the time, the sect was still in chaos, with elders of the militant faction pressuring her to start a war with the cultivators. Wanshao, fed up with the situation, had intended to sneak into Qingyu Sect with Shang Can’s group to ease the tension, but her disguise didn’t fool Shang Can.
Wanshao never fought back during that encounter, and Shang Can, after confirming where the real Senior Sister Su was being held, simply sheathed her sword and waved Wanshao off lazily.
“Since you haven’t harmed anyone, we’ll let it slide today. We’re in a hurry to return to Qingyu.”
With that, Shang Can left, not thinking much of Wanshao at all.
But that first encounter left a deep impression on Wanshao, who would frequently seek out Shang Can afterward. Over time, the two became quite familiar with each other, and Shang Can eventually realized that the person she had so casually let go was actually the Demon Lord of Biluo Huangquan. She couldn’t help but see Wanshao in a new light after that.
“…Don’t look at me like that,” Wanshao had grumbled over drinks once, her expression sullen. “I only became the Demon Lord because my mother was the Demon Lord before me, and after she died, I took over.”
Wanshao sighed heavily, clearly troubled. “She was killed by a cultivator. Someone who had pretended to be her good friend before… well, you know the rest. Honestly, I didn’t expect to meet a weirdo like you, considering how most cultivators and demons are like fire and water.”
Shang Can enjoyed drinking, but Yunduan had an exceptionally keen sense of smell. Even a small amount of alcohol would be detected by her immediately. Not wanting to bother Yunduan with the scent, Shang Can always drank sparingly around her. Smiling, she replied to Wanshao, “I’ll take that as a compliment.”
“Oh, but don’t go stirring up trouble with my junior sister. She doesn’t like demons. Just so you know, if the two of you ever clash, I’m siding with her—sorry in advance.”
“I get it, I get it,” Wanshao muttered, waving her hand dismissively. “Why would I pick a fight with that ‘cutest disciple in all the realms’ you keep mentioning?”
Looking back, Shang Can was relieved she’d said that at the time. If she had introduced Wanshao to Yunduan back then, it would’ve been like shooting herself in the foot now.
As Shang Can reflected on this, she couldn’t help but feel thankful for her past self. She sneaked a glance at Yunduan, her emotions swirling.
…Sigh, in Yunduan’s eyes, she probably already seemed suspicious enough. One more thing wouldn’t make much difference.
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