Chapter Thirty-Seven: Parting

"Hmph—"

With a soft groan, Shen Changan slowly sat up, his hand instinctively reaching for the sword at his side.

Instead of grasping the hilt of his withered wooden sword, however, his fingers closed around a hand as cold as jade and delicate as if it had no bones.

Startled, he turned his head and saw a beautiful, poised woman sitting beside him, watching him with a faint smile.

The woman was dressed in plain white, her features refined and vibrant, with bright eyes and pearly teeth. She looked like a celestial jade fairy stepped out of a painting, breathtakingly beautiful. Since entering this world, the most beautiful woman Shen Changan had encountered was Li Qingqing, but now, it seemed Li Qingqing might have to settle for second place.

She lifted her chin slightly, revealing a flawless, porcelain-white neck. Her skin was like congealed cream or fine jade, pristine and clear. Tracing the line of her skin downward, one found her equally pale, delicate hand—the very one currently held in Shen Changan’s grasp.

Shen Changan was struck by surprise and abruptly let go.

The woman smiled softly and said in a gentle voice, "If Daoist Shen likes it, holding it a while longer is quite alright."

Shen Changan shivered and replied helplessly, "I didn't mean to."

"I know. If you had intended to, Feng'er would not have allowed you to hold it."

Only then did it dawn on Shen Changan, and he hurriedly asked, "Are you the person Yu Qingxian came to rescue?"

The woman nodded slightly and whispered, "Yes, I am Yu Fengxian."

"Yu Fengxian." Shen Changan repeated the name, finding it rather interesting. He recalled that in the books of Hermit Liu Quan, there was a girl named Fengxian, but she was a fox spirit. The Fengxian before him, however, seemed like a true phoenix.

"Creak!"

Just then, the door opened, and a dashing figure strode in—it was Yu Qingxian.

She glanced over, saw that Shen Changan was awake, and said, "Since Daoist Shen is awake, he surely needs no further care. Feng'er, let us leave now."

With that, she moved to lead Yu Fengxian away.

Yu Fengxian gently pushed her hand aside and said with a smile, "Daoist Shen was injured while saving people. How can you leave without even offering a word of thanks?"

Shen Changan interjected quickly, "Enough, enough. Both of you ladies, please just go. I truly cannot endure any more of this trouble. From now on, whenever I run into anyone from your Demon Suppression Bureau, I shall stay as far away as possible. I hope we never meet again."

Yu Fengxian looked at Shen Changan with curiosity, then glanced at Yu Qingxian, and suddenly asked, "Daoist Shen, did Qing'er lie to you?"

Shen Changan cast a sidelong glance at Yu Fengxian. The girl was sharp; she had guessed it instantly. However, Shen Changan wanted no further entanglements with them, so he waved his hand and said, "No, nothing at all. I have never seen you two, and you have never seen me. From here on, the great road is wide, let us each go our own way. Farewell."

He stood up, refusing to dwell on anything else, and prepared to leave.

But Yu Fengxian reached out and caught his hand, forcing him to stop.

"Miss, what other instruction do you have for me?"

Yu Fengxian replied with a radiant smile, "I guessed earlier that Qing'er was likely deceiving me, but I didn't expect her to deceive Daoist Shen as well. The Daoist may not mind, but I cannot let it pass."

She reached into her robes and pulled out a jade pendant, pressing it into Shen Changan’s hand.

"If you ever have any needs in the future, bring this pendant to Chang'an to find me. As long as it is not something too unreasonable, I will certainly fulfill it for Daoist Shen."

Holding the pendant, Shen Changan could still feel the lingering warmth of the beauty’s skin and a faint, subtle fragrance. He did not want to be further entangled, but seeing the look in the girl’s eyes, he knew that if he did not accept it, she would not let him leave.

*I will just accept it and make sure never to go to Chang'an,* he thought.

Chang'an was the capital of the Great Qian Dynasty, the most prosperous place in the entire realm. Shen Changan resolved that unless the animal-skin ancient book gave him a task there, he would never set foot in Chang'an in this lifetime.

"Very well, I shall not stand on ceremony. I accept this. May we meet again by fate."

Shen Changan took the pendant, gestured to summon his withered wooden sword, shouldered his gear and long staff, and walked out immediately.

***

Seeing Shen Changan leave, Yu Fengxian frowned, looking at Yu Qingxian with displeasure.

Yu Qingxian, acting like a child caught in the wrong, hurried over, took Yu Fengxian’s hand, and said, "Feng'er, I was wrong..."

Yu Fengxian sighed. "First you told me you came alone to save me and wanted to spirit me away directly. Only after I exposed you did you admit that someone helped you lure away the other demons, and that you had to agree to save the others."

"Now, having actually met him, I realize you tricked him into luring the enemy away, casting him into mortal danger!"

Yu Qingxian looked aggrieved. "That Daoist Lingxiao is not a good person; he is full of suspicious traits. How could I trust him..."

"Yet he trusted you!" Yu Fengxian’s gaze sharpened, a hint of indignation appearing. "He treated you with kindness, yet you treated him with treachery! You say he is suspicious, but in the end, he remained determined to save people. Even if he were suspicious, what of it? Is that not better than what you did?"

"I... I was just so worried about you..." Yu Qingxian softened, unable to argue further.

Yu Fengxian shook her head slightly and sighed, "Qing'er, oh Qing'er... well, never mind. It seems Daoist Lingxiao wants nothing more to do with us, so there will be no further connection."

Only then did Yu Qingxian smile, pulling Yu Fengxian into a tight embrace and whispering, "Feng'er is the best."

The formidable, ruthless, and decisive Yu Qingxian, feared by all, showed such a tender side before Yu Fengxian. If word of this spread, no one would ever believe it.

Yu Fengxian embraced her in return. "This world is chaotic enough. If we do not treat each other well, who else will?"

As she spoke, Yu Fengxian lowered her head and kissed Yu Qingxian’s vermilion lips.

Yu Qingxian let out an involuntary, coquettish sound, and then, with Yu Fengxian, they tumbled onto the bed.

Yu Qingxian and Yu Fengxian were far from mere childhood friends; their true relationship was that of lovers.