From the moment Yun Duan left at dawn to search for Shang Can, the sky had now fully brightened. It was time to return to Tianwaitian. After all, they had left without saying a word, and Shang Can should inform Pei Chen about the incident last night when Qin Yi appeared and they fought.
Shang Can stood up, still feeling weak from excessive depletion of her spiritual power. She frowned slightly, but straightened her posture without making a sound.
“Ah Can, don’t use your spiritual power just yet.”
A hand immediately reached out to support her shoulder, and Yun Duan’s voice, filled with concern, solemnly advised, “And no sword flying either. Travel with me for now.”
It didn’t surprise Shang Can that Yun Duan noticed her condition. She nodded and allowed herself to be led onto the spiritual sword, wrapping her arms tightly around Yun Duan’s waist. As her hands made contact, she felt the sword beneath her feet tremble slightly.
“Is Wu You not easy to handle?”
The original owner, Shang Can, asked in surprise, quickly raising an eyebrow in understanding and sighing lightly, “It was sometimes disobedient. I see it hasn’t changed much after all these years.”
“…”
Yun Duan responded with a quiet hum. Wu You, carrying them both, let out a clear, resonant sound, as if unwilling to accept this comment, ringing out several more times.
Flying while blindfolded was a novel experience for Shang Can. Deprived of sight, her other senses became more acute. She felt the warm breeze brush her face, and the faint cool scent of Yun Duan surrounded her, calming her heart.
Unconsciously leaning closer, Shang Can asked softly, “Why did you switch to using Wu You?”
A question that had lingered in her mind since they first met was finally voiced. Shang Can felt Yun Duan’s shoulders tense slightly before a somewhat uneasy, low voice replied, “…Because I left Feiwang in the Ghost Realm.”
Though it wasn’t a direct answer, it was enough to dodge the real issue. Shang Can frowned and pressed further, “Did you throw Feiwang into the River of Oblivion yourself?”
“…”
After a long silence, Shang Can heard Yun Duan softly acknowledge with a hum. Shang Can’s suspicions gradually solidified, causing her heart to ache with a dull pain. She decided not to push the matter further, but Yun Duan continued on her own.
“I couldn’t find you then. I was relieved you might still be alive, but I was also terrified that I had missed you by not arriving in time.”
Yun Duan’s tone was light, as if recalling an insignificant event, but Shang Can still felt her heart tighten. Not wanting Yun Duan to sense her emotions, she deliberately smiled and said, “So you left Feiwang behind to search for me?”
Yun Duan let out a faint laugh but denied it, “No, that’s not it.”
“At the time, I thought maybe it was Feiwang’s name that was the problem.” Yun Duan’s voice was gentle, and Shang Can felt the person in her arms subtly lean back, her words muffled as they came through their closeness. “I thought that maybe, because I carried a sword named Feiwang (hopeless longing), I was doomed never to find you.”
“What nonsense.” Shang Can murmured softly, “Since when have you become so superstitious?”
Yun Duan chuckled silently, turning her head slightly to look at her. “I don’t know why, but back then, this thought consumed me.”
“Didn’t you say Feiwang’s name wasn’t good either? When I first received it.”
“It must be because I held onto a hopeless desire,” Yun Duan said, her voice soft, blending with the wind and reaching Shang Can’s ear, “That’s why it ended up this way. So, I threw it into the River of Oblivion. After returning to Qingyu, I claimed I had lost my sword and started using Wu You.”
Up until now, Yun Duan had spoken with the detachment of recounting someone else’s story. But at this moment, her voice suddenly grew heavier, carrying deep regret. “I acted rashly then. I didn’t expect it to birth such a powerful sword spirit and drag you into the River of Oblivion.”
Even through the blindfold, Shang Can could imagine the regret on Yun Duan’s face. She instinctively brushed her nose against Yun Duan’s hair, laughing softly. “What River of Oblivion? I don’t even remember. In fact, I should thank it for giving me a—”
Mid-sentence, Shang Can suddenly recalled the elaborate illusions she experienced after falling into the River of Oblivion. Her mind involuntarily returned to the final illusion, where Yun Duan had drawn close to her in a small cabin.
That Yun Duan had been a fake, but the one in her arms now was very real. Shang Can’s throat tightened, and she unconsciously leaned back, her voice slightly uneasy as she muttered, “…A beautiful dream.”
Sensing Yun Duan tilt her head, likely casting a questioning glance her way, Shang Can could only feign ignorance. At that moment, she was immensely grateful for the blindfold, which allowed her to pretend not to see anything.
Their relationship was already tangled enough—there was no need to muddy the waters further.
Heaven help her, Shang Can thought silently, praying that Yun Duan would never discover the specifics of that illusion.
Perhaps out of concern for her condition, Shang Can noticed that Yun Duan flew slower than usual. By the time they returned to Tianwaitian, it was already noon. Just as they reached the entrance, a gatekeeper disciple hurriedly approached, bowing with relief, “Cloud Sovereign, you’re finally back! There’s been a major incident!”
Ignoring Shang Can, the disciple continued with an anxious voice, “That troublemaker, Canzhe, has reappeared! He set the outskirts of Yanyang ablaze with heavenly fire!”
“…”
Beneath the blindfold, the perpetrator herself, Shang Can, rolled her eyes silently. She stepped forward and declared righteously, “Then you must take Cloud Sovereign to see Lord Kun Yao immediately!”
“Ah, yes! This way, please!”
The disciple, easily intimidated, quickly led the way for the “troublemaking” Canzhe. Pleased with her little trick, Shang Can heard Yun Duan chuckle softly behind her, then step forward to whisper, “I’d like to have Tianwaitian’s physician take a look at your eyes first.”
Yun Duan seemed most concerned with this matter. Shang Can’s heart warmed, but she shook her head and gestured, “No rush. He’s just about to lead us to Kun Yao, we should go see him first.”
“But…”
Sensing the worry in Yun Duan’s tone, Shang Can turned towards her, speaking lightly, “To be honest, my eyes can’t be healed by any physician. They’ll just have to recover on their own.”
Besides, the physicians of Tianwaitian… Shang Can felt a pang of dread remembering the past, convinced that none of them were trustworthy. Sighing, she added, “It’s an old injury. Over the years, no remedy has worked, but it’s not a serious illness… So don’t worry. Let’s clear things up with Kun Yao first.”
“…”
Yun Duan was silent for a while before responding with a soft hum. Shang Can sensed her hesitation and was about to ask when she suddenly felt movement at her side. Her hand was gently taken into Yun Duan’s.
“To avoid any accidents,” Yun Duan said, her tone calm and matter-of-fact, “I’ll hold onto you, Ah Can.”
The hand was soft and slightly cool. Shang Can, her sense of touch unusually heightened, didn’t dare move. She nodded obediently. “Thank you.”
Perhaps mindful of her blindness, Yun Duan led the way slowly. Shang Can could feel the gazes of the other disciples around them, but she could only endure it, unable to glare back at them. The disciple leading the way hesitated several times before tentatively suggesting, “Perhaps I should assist the lady? She could rest in a side room first?”
“No need.” Yun Duan replied before Shang Can could speak. “I’ll take care of her.”
Shang Can thought to herself that it was no wonder Cloud Sovereign had such a reputation in the cultivation world—aloof, dignified, and seemingly unattainable. With her reserved demeanor and concise speech, those unfamiliar with her would surely find her cold and distant.
Sure enough, the disciple fell silent, no longer daring to speak. Shang Can squeezed Yun Duan’s hand and smiled at the disciple, “I’m involved in the matter with Canzhe, so I need to see Kun Yao with Cloud Sovereign. My eyes are injured, so I may move a bit slower. Thank you for your patience.”
“Not at all, fellow cultivator. There’s no need to be so polite.” The disciple replied courteously. Shang Can sensed that he curiously glanced at her several times before tentatively offering, “If the lady doesn’t mind, I could carry her—”
“No need.”
Before he could even finish speaking, Yun Duan interrupted him, her tone sounding colder than before. “Men and women shouldn’t touch each other.”
At that, the disciple didn’t dare say another word, only murmuring a quiet agreement.
The plan to ease the tension between Yun Zhongjun and others had failed. Shang Can silently apologized in her heart to the well-meaning but unfortunate disciple, feeling a sudden playful urge. She tightened her grip on Yun Duan’s hand and gave it a little shake.
“Good thing we’re both women,” she teased. “Otherwise, I wouldn’t be able to let Yun Zhongjun hold my hand like this, and people might get jealous, don’t you think?”
What she meant as a light joke to brighten Yun Duan’s seemingly low spirits hung in the air for a moment without response. Shang Can wondered if Yun Duan was at a loss for words, just as she was about to smooth things over, Yun Duan’s quiet voice broke the silence.
“Yes,” Yun Duan said softly. “It’s fortunate we’re both women.”
Yun Duan’s serious response to her joke left Shang Can momentarily stunned, and for once, she didn’t know how to reply. She quickly shifted the conversation, whispering, “What do you think the disciples of Tianwaitian would do if they found out I’m the one they’re hunting? Imagine the rumors if it got out that Yun Zhongjun was holding hands with the ‘dreaded’ Shang Can. But now that I think about it, if my identity is revealed, the story will probably be spun into something like Yun Zhongjun apprehending me to turn me in to Kun Yaojun…”
As she rambled quietly, Yun Duan finally chuckled and said, “It doesn’t matter what the rumors are.”
Shang Can, not too keen on becoming the villain in the story, raised her eyebrows. Yun Duan continued, her voice calm. “And besides, I don’t think even if they knew who you are, the rumors would be like what you’re imagining.”
“After all, when it comes to Yun Zhongjun and Shang Can…” Yun Duan paused briefly, her voice a little uneasy when she spoke again, “holding hands wouldn’t be the only thing they’d talk about.”
“…”
Oh, right. Shang Can turned her head away, slightly embarrassed.
She had almost forgotten about it, having spent so long in the Ghost Realm. Back in the cultivation world, their rumors had already been full of strange and tangled details. If word got out now that “Shang Can, blindfolded, was holding hands with Yun Zhongjun in public,” it would probably become some bizarre story circulating in Yanyang City, something like “Shocking! Shang Can and Yun Zhongjun spotted together—injured or just playing around?”
Amused by her own absurd thoughts, Shang Can stifled a laugh. Yun Duan glanced at her several times, likely confused, but Shang Can couldn’t bring herself to explain her silly musings. Instead, she just waved her hand dismissively and tugged Yun Duan along to quicken their pace.
When they reached the reception hall, Pei Chen, who had been waiting for a while, sighed in relief and hurried over. “You’re finally back! I woke up this morning and neither of you were anywhere to be found, and then I heard the patrol disciples report that the outskirts of Yanyang were set ablaze by heavenly fire—wait, Shang Can, what’s this?”
His tone sounded surprised, clearly noticing the white cloth over her eyes. Shang Can sighed. “I ran into Qin Yi last night, had a little fight, and got a bit hurt.”
Pei Chen’s voice rang with sudden realization. “Ah… ah, I see. I didn’t notice earlier… no wonder Yun Zhongjun is holding Shang Can’s hand.”
“…”
Wait, what? So this whole time, he didn’t notice the blindfold but only saw Yun Duan holding her hand?
Shang Can was at a loss for words. Then Pei Chen, still puzzled, asked, “Shang Can went out last night? Weren’t you and Yun Zhongjun… up talking all night?”
“…”
The conversation had truly taken an unexpected turn, and Shang Can was left speechless.
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