Chapter 11 Old Friends Forgotten

Mu Qing Shi glanced at the Tiger Demon preparing to begin storytelling on the stage and said solemnly, “Being born into an official’s family in this life, he was destined to have no say in his own marriage. In the imperial court, alliances are often formed between powerful families solely to expand influence. So even if Zi An hadn’t undergone Memory Wipe, they still couldn’t have been together. Moreover, these noble families usually have strict ancestral rules that wouldn’t tolerate a woman like Zi An. Xie Lang did this because he no longer wanted to be constrained, to become a sacrifice to power—not because Zi An forgot him!”

Su Qing was startled upon hearing this. It turned out that not only women but even men couldn’t attain the freedom they desired under the weight of power and fame. She had always thought that only women became sacrifices in the imperial court, never realizing that men suffered the same fate.

Xie Lang saw in Zi An the freedom he had long yearned for. Though Zi An had fallen into the mortal world and was of lowly status, she understood the preciousness of such freedom all the more. She comprehended Xie Lang, and he admired her. The two shared common ground, so what connected them was a meeting of minds, not romantic feelings.

But once Zi An no longer remembered him, there would be no one left in this world who understood his longing for freedom. With his kindred spirit gone, the mortal world held no attachment for him, leaving him an empty shell—alive or dead, it made no difference.

Otherwise, when he first learned he had to marry someone else, he would have chosen death to make his stand, rather than waiting until Yue Zi An forgot him.

The term “kindred spirit” was far too important to Xie Lang. So important that he would willingly die for it.

So this was the truth.

Perhaps, for lovers, understanding each other is more important than love itself!

Su Qing smiled faintly and pointed at Mu Qing Shi’s right arm, saying, “May Su Qing take a look at your injury?”

Mu Qing Shi curved his lips slightly and replied softly, “Please, go ahead.”

He then extended his arm.

Su Qing lowered her head and carefully rolled up his sleeve until the bruise came into view. Only then did she speak calmly, “Your injury looks much better than yesterday.”

Mu Qing Shi smiled and began to feign, “But it still hurts.”

Su Qing looked up and saw the amusement in his eyes, immediately seeing through him. However, having learned much today, she decided not to give him a hard time.

“Su Qing will apply some medicine for you.”

Mu Qing Shi raised his brows. “Thank you.”

Su Qing nodded, took out a porcelain bottle from her sleeve, poured some medicinal liquid onto her palm, and then pressed it gently onto the bruised area, massaging it with utmost care.

But she hadn’t forgotten about his blocked heart meridian.

“Do you ever feel shortness of breath or palpitations during strenuous activities?”

She maintained her movements while watching him with piercing eyes. The slightest evasion from Mu Qing Shi would reveal his lie.

Mu Qing Shi lowered his gaze in thought for a moment before answering, “Occasionally. Probably not often.”

Su Qing switched hands and continued, “Any chest tightness or pain?”

Mu Qing Shi felt rather helpless. He didn’t want to deceive her, but he truly hadn’t experienced these symptoms.

“What you describe are the symptoms of blocked heart meridian in ordinary people. Qing Shi feels no such abnormalities.”

After finishing the massage, Su Qing put away the bottle and helped him pull down his sleeve. Then her expression darkened. “You’re right. Su Qing’s methods can only treat common ailments. For your condition, you may need to seek another expert.”

With that, she stood up.

Tsk, she was angry again. Mu Qing Shi was truly innocent—he had only stated the truth, yet she refused to believe him.

“Then the young lady may proceed with her own method to save Qing Shi!”  

Not wanting to destroy the hard-earned trust between them, Mu Qing Shi decided to go along with her.  

Unexpectedly, Su Qing ignored him completely and turned to leave.  

Mu Qing Shi was both exasperated and amused—what kind of reasoning was this?  

He followed her all the way to the Ba Bridge before realizing she was furious—so furious that she refused to even look at him.  

Mu Qing Shi truly didn’t understand. In the past, she had never been one to lose her temper easily. How had it become so simple for her to get angry after losing her memories?  

“Well, well, well, if it isn’t Qing Shi! Why do you look so helpless? Did you make the young lady angry?”  

A familiar voice suddenly rang in his ears. Mu Qing Shi turned and gave the man a cold glance before sneering.  

The man shivered, but the presence of a beauty—especially one that Mu Qing Shi fancied—was too tempting to ignore.  

“And you are…?” Su Qing also turned to look at the man, realizing he was a Celestial Being.  

Seeing Mu Qing Shi’s dark glare, the man remained unfazed. He dusted off his blue robes and bowed slightly. “I am Jing Ze, a close friend of Qing Shi’s. Yesterday, I heard the Demon Market was hosting a ‘Fireworks Fair,’ so I rushed over to witness the spectacle. Never thought I’d run into an old friend! What a delightful coincidence!”  

Mu Qing Shi sneered again. “Finished with your business?”  

Jing Ze paused. That single sentence carried multiple implications.  

First: *You have too much on your plate—don’t meddle in others’ affairs.* Jing Ze mused that he usually avoided meddling, but when it came to Mu Qing Shi, exceptions had to be made.  

Second: *He doesn’t want to see me right now.* This was likely because their friendship ran deep, and Mu Qing Shi didn’t want him witnessing his awkward predicament, lest it spread among their peers.  

Third—and most critical—was the concern that Jing Ze might investigate the young lady’s origins. After the upheaval ten thousand years ago, Mu Qing Shi had suffered severe injuries. It had taken Jing Ze a long time to restore him to his current state, and he wasn’t about to let anything jeopardize that.  

Of these three possibilities, Jing Ze knew Mu Qing Shi feared the last one the most. As his closest friend, Jing Ze would never allow him to walk through death’s door again—which was precisely why Mu Qing Shi was glaring at him so ominously.  

But the more Mu Qing Shi resisted, the more suspicious it seemed, and the more determined Jing Ze became. If he couldn’t act openly, he’d investigate the girl’s lineage in secret, ensuring Mu Qing Shi didn’t recklessly throw his life away again.  

*Ah, truly, “the dog bites Lü Dongbin, not recognizing a true friend’s heart!”*  

After this internal deliberation, Jing Ze sighed dramatically. “I do have much to attend to. I’ll take my leave!”  

With that, he immediately turned and walked away.  

As he strode off, Jing Ze lamented his own misfortune. Here he was, wholeheartedly looking out for Mu Qing Shi, yet this stubborn fool wouldn’t even let him stay for a quarter of an hour. How ruthless! But then again, that was just the kind of person he was.  

As for the young lady? He had no interest in beauties. Reporting the affairs of various immortal sects to the Heavenly Ruler was exhausting enough—he had no time for distractions. Even these few days had been squeezed out of his busy schedule.