Dao Companion Crippled, Coveters Move

Chapter 465 451: Shang Miaoyan Meets Lu Ruoxi Again

"Junior Brother Pei, you suspect Yueqiu is listless because there's a problem with her Dao Heart, so you're looking for some elixirs to calm her mind and solidify her Divine Soul?"

"That's right. Yueqiu has an excellent constitution, so for her to be this exhausted, the root of the problem must be anything but simple."

Lu Ruoxi nodded and immediately fell into serious thought. 'This is one of the few things Junior Brother Pei has ever asked of me. I must handle it perfectly.'

"Junior Brother Pei, although I've mastered many High Tier Pill Formulas for the Dao Heart and Divine Soul that can generally solve most problems..."

Lu Ruoxi folded her hands in her lap, her tone turning exceptionally solemn. "But to be cautious, it would be better for me to see Yueqiu in person and tailor the treatment to her specific condition."

"Yes, I'll have to trouble you to go take a look at Yueqiu then, Senior Sister."

Pei Yuhang nodded, grateful that Lu Ruoxi was willing to personally visit his residence to see his disciple.

Seeing Pei Yuhang nod in agreement, a flash of joy appeared in Lu Ruoxi's eyes.

She rose hastily. "Then there's no time to lose..."

Before she could finish, she realized her lack of composure. The tips of her ears turned slightly red as she forced herself to calmly add, "I'll go today."

After speaking, Lu Ruoxi hurried to the herb room to retrieve medicinal ingredients and her Alchemy Furnace.

"I hope I'm not out of practice..."

Lu Ruoxi took a deep breath and muttered, clenching her fists.

'Being able to get a request from Pei Yuhang again is a huge step forward for my great "redemption project"!'

After getting everything in order, Lu Ruoxi approached Pei Yuhang with a light spring in her step.

"Junior Brother Pei, let's go."

"Mm."

Pei Yuhang nodded, and the two then rode off on their swords together.

WHOOSH—

The mountain wind brushed past the ends of Lu Ruoxi's hair, causing the loose strands by her cheeks to flutter gently. She kept stealing glances at Pei Yuhang beside her, a faint, almost imperceptible smile playing on her lips.

'It's been so long since I've flown side-by-side with Junior Brother Pei on our swords... just like old times.'

A look of reminiscence flashed in Lu Ruoxi's beautiful eyes. As a sweet feeling arose in her heart, it was swiftly followed by deep regret.

'If she hadn't Fallen into Demon while pursuing Junior Brother Pei, then with her relationship with Liyuan, could she have possibly gotten Liyuan's blessing for a proper and legitimate union with him?'

The whistling wind scattered Lu Ruoxi's thoughts, and by the time she arrived at the Cold Palace Sword Mansion, she still hadn't reached any conclusion.

"Senior Sister? Senior Sister?"

"Oh, right..."

Pei Yuhang said gently, "I'll go get Yueqiu. Senior Sister, please wait in front of my cottage for a moment."

"Alright."

Pulled from her thoughts by Pei Yuhang's voice, Lu Ruoxi replied obediently.

Feeling how much Junior Brother Pei valued her help, the corners of her eyes softened with joy. She glided toward the courtyard, the hem of her dress rustling faintly as it swept across the bluestone path.

Just as she was about to step through the courtyard gate, she suddenly froze.

Because in Pei Yuhang's courtyard, she came across an unexpected, unfamiliar woman.

The other woman's expression also faltered upon seeing her, as if she never expected to meet Lu Ruoxi again.

The moment their eyes met, the air seemed to freeze.

The next moment, wariness and a strange hostility surfaced in both women's eyes.

"Who are you? Why are you in Junior Brother Pei's home!"

Lu Ruoxi's previously gentle face instantly turned ice-cold.

Her slender fingers tightened abruptly. Spiritual Qi surged around her, and her robes billowed without a wind, looking as if she were ready to suppress the woman before her at the slightest provocation.

Shang Miaoyan, disguised as Fan Xuan, also had a drastic change in expression.

A flicker of astonishment crossed her eyes, quickly replaced by a towering rage. 'This defeated rival dares to act so presumptuously before me!'

'A useless woman who hasn't even reached the Void Refining Realm! I could suppress her with a wave of my hand!'

Shang Miaoyan's fingers, hidden in her sleeves, trembled slightly, her knuckles turning white.

She stared daggers at Lu Ruoxi, her gaze as cold and sinister as a viper's.

What enraged her even more was— 'By what right does this woman, who should have been exiled forever, get to return to Pei Yuhang's side?'

But Shang Miaoyan didn't let her anger cloud her judgment. Right now, she was still disguised as Fan Xuan, and Fan Xuan's Cultivation was weaker than Lu Ruoxi's... so it wouldn't be wise to fight Lu Ruoxi now.

She forcefully suppressed her surging killing intent, but on the surface, she had to maintain the panicked expression appropriate for Fan Xuan.

She bit her lower lip, forcing back the harsh rebuke that was on the tip of her tongue.

"Ah... y-you're Sword Immortal Pei's senior sister? My relationship with Sword Immortal Pei is a bit complicated. When he gets here, he'll explain it to you..."

Lu Ruoxi's brow arched, her voice growing even more bone-chillingly cold.

"What did you say? Your relationship with Junior Brother Pei is complicated?! What's so complicated about it! Is it so complicated you're too ashamed to speak of it to an outsider?!"

Her voice was stern as she took a large step toward Shang Miaoyan, and the immense Suppression of a Divinity Transformation Peak cultivator swept over the other woman.

Shang Miaoyan desperately suppressed her inner killing intent. Though she was grinding her teeth in rage, she had no choice but to feign fear and retreat half a step.

'This damned identity! It means I don't even have the right to teach this bitch a lesson!'

Fan Xuan, from the shadows: "..."

'My cultivation is low, so it's my fault, Holy Daughter...?'

Just as tensions between the two reached a breaking point, a voice called out from the distance.

"Senior Sister, please wait."

At the sound of the familiar, clear male voice, the Suppression Lu Ruoxi had gathered instantly dispersed. Her icy expression once again softened into a gentle, endearing look.

"Junior Brother Pei, this is..."

She turned her head and spoke in a soft, gentle voice to Pei Yuhang, who was arriving through the air with a silver-haired young woman.

Shang Miaoyan's face darkened as she watched Lu Ruoxi change her expression so effortlessly.

"Senior Sister, this is Fellow Daoist Fan Xuan. She has helped me a great deal in the past and is something of a benefactor to me... She's currently in trouble, so I've allowed her to stay at my residence under my protection."

"Junior Brother Pei is protecting her..."

Lu Ruoxi murmured, and with a calculating glint in her eyes, she said, "In that case, why not let this Sister Fan Xuan come to my pavilion? Dan Yun Pavilion can protect her."

She began listing the benefits for Pei Yuhang, such as various cultivation resources like spiritual pills and elixirs, as well as a more comfortable and secure environment.

Behind Pei Yuhang, Qing Yueqiu, who had just arrived, didn't quite understand the situation. But when she realized Lu Ruoxi wanted to take that woman away from the Cold Palace Sword Mansion, she immediately and joyfully agreed.

"Master, Elder Lu is right! Dan Yun Pavilion is much more suitable for protecting Sister Fan Xuan than our Cold Palace Sword Mansion!"

Qing Yueqiu said, gently shaking Pei Yuhang's arm as she whispered to him:

"Master... with me, Master's wife, and Xiaoxiao already in the mansion, it's already full... more than full. And we don't have a better environment or resources to offer Sister Fan Xuan, right?"

Persuaded by the two of them, Pei Yuhang nodded lightly, seeming to think they had a point.

But before he could speak, a female voice, tinged with dissatisfaction, abruptly rang out.

"I disagree!"

Shang Miaoyan said, looking directly at Pei Yuhang.