Chapter 707: Yue Hongling’s Recent Trials

Yue Hongling’s choice of words, saying that she saw him rather than an illusion, was deliberate. She could tell the difference, because what she saw that day was unmistakably Zhao Changhe.

It was the Zhao Changhe in her heart.

Before her was an ice wall, polished and reflective like a mirror. But instead of her own reflection, it showed an image of Zhao Changhe galloping through the golden sands, pursued by thousands of soldiers.

Yue Hongling knew that was the moment her heart truly stirred for him, when genuine love had first bloomed. Not during the earlier, unexpected intimacy in the Maitreya Temple, nor in the tender embrace at the inn after Sisi’s mischief.

Such fleeting moments could be forgotten like a dream, fading without a trace. But the memory of riding through the desert with him was eternal, etched into her soul. It was a memory she would often recall, never to be forgotten.

Yet for a martial artist pursuing the pinnacle of her path, for a solitary swordswoman accustomed to walking alone, such sweet memories carried a dangerous name:

Inner demon.

It weakened one’s resolve, ensnaring one in the allure of tenderness. The heart loses its resolve, the sword its sharpness. The struggle for independence and the courage to face adversity alone are replaced by dependency and hesitation.

In this moment, Yue Hongling found herself unwittingly ensnared by her inner demon. Her mind filled with the tenderness of past moments, and a smile unconsciously curled at her lips as she gazed into the mirror.

She wanted to reach through and hold his hand, to gallop alongside him once more.

The figure in the mirror seemed to smile back, extending a hand as if to say,

Look, even thousands of li apart, we can still meet. Won’t you stay?

Her soul wavered, drawn toward the whirlpool within the ice. Once pulled in, there would be no escape.

This was not an illusion. From start to finish, it was her own longing, her own weakness reflected in the mirror, captured and exploited by demonic forces.

But the two of them had never been like other couples. Just moments after fiery passion, they could discuss parting ways to roam the world. One could suggest it with nonchalance, and the other would accept it as perfectly natural. That was the kind of free-spirited, untamed woman Yue Hongling was.

If the real Zhao Changhe had been standing in front of her, saying that they had met by chance after journeys of thousands of li and asked her to fulfill her promise, she might have faltered. But when she was simply facing her own reflection, a reflection of her heart, Yue Hongling instead took a hard look at herself.

Why am I suddenly thinking about staying by his side? There are still so many places I haven’t been and so many things left to see.

With that thought, she broke free from the ice wall’s pull. And in doing so, she realized the sinister nature of the wall.

Bang!

Yue Hongling’s response was swift and decisive. She delivered a fierce kick to the ice wall. From its depths came a wail, like the cry of someone struck and driven to tears...

Yue Hongling felt no pity, only a deep sense of unease.

Just a fleeting indulgence in the notion of love had nearly cost her life.

Romantic entanglements have long been deemed an obstacle on the martial path, and it was clearly not without reason.

Clang!

Suddenly, she thrust her sword backward without looking, intercepting a blade thrust at her from the shadows.

The attacker, realizing that neither the ice wall nor the ambush had succeeded, immediately retreated into the snow-laden forest, leaving behind a trail of cascading snow.

Yue Hongling made a move to chase, even sending sword qi ahead to clear the way. But as she stepped into the forest, she abruptly changed direction, retreating gracefully into the sky, her figure merging with the glow of the horizon.

In the forest, a barrage of arrows and concealed weapons hissed through the air, crashing harmlessly into the dissipating sword qi. By the time they realized she had gone, Yue Hongling was already far beyond reach, her presence fading into the crimson light of the setting sun.

“...No wonder they call her the Sunset Divine Sword,” someone muttered, awe tinging their voice. “Her reputation is well-deserved. Let’s go. Without the sect master here, we can’t risk tangling with her. Head for the secret realm.”

The group hastily retreated deeper into the snow-capped mountains. Unbeknownst to them, Yue Hongling’s head popped out from behind a rocky outcrop nearby.

“So that’s how you followed them into the secret realm?” Zhao Changhe lay nestled against Yue Hongling, listening to her recount her story. Her storytelling left much to be desired—dry, matter-of-fact, and devoid of embellishment. She had barely glossed over her reflections on him, reducing it all to a simple mention of her inner demon. Still, Zhao Changhe listened intently, finding the story endlessly entertaining.

He found it fascinating, like reading a side story that made a great addition to a novel. It was quite fun to see someone else’s journey for a change every now and then.

And it made him realize just how strong Yue Hongling was—she was truly a veteran of

jianghu

.

Yue Hongling raised an eyebrow, her tone casual. “Those assassins from the Snow-Listening Pavilion were no match for me. I originally thought their destination was their headquarters. But once inside, I realized that wasn’t the case—or perhaps their headquarters was also in the realm, but they weren’t heading toward it. Instead, their conversations revolved heavily around conflicts between the Buddhists and Daoists, as if they were scheming to incite chaos.”

“Oh?” Zhao Changhe blinked in surprise. “I’ve seen them stirring trouble between the Buddhists and us. But the Daoists too? What did they say about that?”

“They mentioned something about Yuxu,” Yue Hongling replied thoughtfully. “I was too far away to hear the full conversation. From what I heard, it seemed that some Heavenly Venerable was very displeased with Yuxu for losing a page of the Heavenly Tome. It seems they’re plotting something while Yuxu is away.”

“Yuxu is away... And they mentioned their sect master being absent as well. The sect master must be their pavilion master, so Snow Owl, right? Both were absent at the same time... Could this be during the attack on Xia Longyuan?”

Yue Hongling shot him an exasperated look. “I’ve been inside secret realms all this time. How would I know when they attacked that muddle-headed emperor?”

“Uh...” Zhao Changhe scratched his head, recalling Yue Hongling’s disdain for Xia Longyuan. To her, the emperor was just a useless tyrant, and his officials nothing more than lackeys. Even Tang Wanzhuang, whom Yue Hongling respected somewhat, was often regarded as just another servant of the regime by more extreme factions—Zhao Changhe himself had once held that view.

But that was irrelevant. What mattered now was the timing, which seemed to match. Snow Owl had been in the capital, and Yuxu beyond the pass. While the empire’s heavyweights were otherwise occupied, Snow-Listening Pavilion and the powers behind them had been quietly scheming against Yuxu and Yuan Cheng.

Yuan Cheng’s departure from Chang’an might have been sheer luck. Had he stayed, he might have faced grave consequences. But even here, he had not fully escaped—his location had been deliberately linked to their machinations, allowing his pursuers to track him in secret. It was only their encounter with the vajra that diverted their plans. Otherwise, Yuan Cheng might have been their first target.

As they pieced the sequence together, the narrative became clearer. That said, the exact details of their schemes remained elusive, and even Yue Hongling was not entirely sure of their intentions. But one thing was evident: these developments held significant implications for Zhao Changhe’s upcoming journey to Kunlun, potentially forcing a revision of his plans.

Yue Hongling added, “To be honest, I didn’t follow them for long. Being unfamiliar with the terrain, I ended up stumbling upon various demons and monsters. It’s clear that the Snow-Listening Pavilion hasn’t fully explored or controlled this secret realm. Many of the creatures here are beyond their influence. They’re exploring and treasure-hunting, just like I was. Some of my gains came from the environment, while others were snatched directly from their hands.”

Zhao Changhe was momentarily speechless.

Snow Owl must have been utterly frustrated by that point. First, Yue Hongling ruined his plans with Shi Wuding, and now she foiled their schemes in the secret realm.

Come to think of it, wasn’t there supposed to be some karmic bond that tied Han Wubing and Snow Owl together more closely? Where did Han Wubing go?

Yue Hongling continued, “Of course, my actions exposed my presence. By then, Snow Owl had returned and began mobilizing the Snow-Listening Pavilion to hunt me down. Their numbers were overwhelming, so I kept running. Once I escaped immediate danger, I turned back to ambush them. This back-and-forth has gone on for quite some time. They couldn’t divert all their resources to chasing me—they had their plans to carry out. And so, by repeatedly harassing them, I eventually ended up here and met you. Honestly, I can’t pinpoint the exact moment I crossed from Tianshan to Xiangyang. It felt seamless along the way...”

Yue Hongling’s account was brief, but Zhao Changhe could vividly imagine the countless dangers over those months, battling endless monsters, relentless battles, escapes, and counterattacks, each leaving its mark on her body and spirit.

He thought about his own exhaustion, then looked at her—this resilient, indomitable woman. If he felt weary, how much more so his big sister?

He could not bear it any longer. With a determined motion, he sat up straight. “Let me take a look at your injuries.”

Yue Hongling shot him a sharp glance, spitting out dismissively, “It’s just some minor wounds. I don’t need dual cultivation!”

Zhao Changhe laughed helplessly. “I wasn’t suggesting that—I only wanted to treat your injuries... but fine, if you don’t want to, then we don’t have to.”

Despite her rebuff, he reached out and gently took her hand in his.

Yue Hongling was about to say something when she suddenly felt a powerful wave of rejuvenating energy sweep through her entire body. The lingering effects of countless battles—internal injuries, external wounds, and countless hidden ailments that had accumulated over months of conflict—were almost entirely healed in an instant. Zhao Changhe did not even need to search for the specific injuries; his technique worked like an all-encompassing, rejuvenating hot spring, washing away her fatigue and pain.

She stared at Zhao Changhe in astonishment. His strength now was not just greater—it was all-encompassing, and his application of the Rejuvenation Art was at least a hundred times more potent than before.

Zhao Changhe smiled gently. “Big sister, if you want to help me, you’ll need to be in good shape. Haven’t you gone months without proper rest, always on guard?”

“Mm-hm,” Yue Hongling gave a soft acknowledgement but did not feel like speaking.

𝐟𝕣𝗲𝕖𝕨𝗲𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝗲𝚕.𝗰𝚘𝐦

Why did seeing him make her feel as though she finally had a roof over her head? It was because, at last, she could let down her guard and truly rest. Even if the sky were to fall, she knew there was a man beside her to hold it up.

The warmth from his hand continued to flow into hers, soothing and relaxing. She began to feel her eyelids grow heavy, her body succumbing to the exhaustion she had been suppressing for so long.

Zhao Changhe’s voice softened even further, a gentle murmur: “Sleep... At least for today, I’ll be here with you.”

Nearby, the blind woman crossed her arms, her expression somewhere between amused and exasperated. To her, the pair seemed utterly foolish. Always worrying about who was helping whom or who was relying on whom—what was the point of keeping score?

Mutual dependence, being each other’s safe harbor—was this not what the two of them had always wanted? To wield their blades together, hand in hand, and face the world side by side?

Wait a minute... Why am I sitting here analyzing their relationship? The heck kind of book develops emotions?!

The blind woman scratched her head, baffled by her own strange train of thought.