Chapter 43

Du Shao suddenly remembered the marriage contract and took out a wooden box from her storage ring. Inside the box was a red piece of paper, with both her and Li Dong’s birthdates written on it.

Li Dong’s expression changed, and he quickly snatched the marriage contract. “What is this? I’ve never seen it before! How shameless of you to even draft a marriage contract. Yes, our parents know each other, and you know my birthdate, but you can’t just do something like this without my consent.”

Lin Du, growing tired of his excuses, interjected, “Enough.”

She walked over and stood behind Ni Si, lowering her voice and mimicking Li Dong’s earlier affectionate tone. “Actually, I have a suggestion. Since Li Dong claims he fell in love with you at first sight and insists on marrying you while denying ever having an engagement with anyone else, why not make a vow?”

“Swear by the Heaven. Swear that he has only ever loved you, that he’s never been engaged to anyone else, and if he’s lied to you even once, may he be struck by lightning.”

“This way, your grand, earth-shattering love can be witnessed by the Heaven.”

Lin Du smiled softly. “Don’t you agree, Sister Ni Si? I’m only looking out for you.”

“I just can’t stand seeing a beautiful sister get deceived by a bad man.”

Her tone was gentle, but her words were clear, the ending trailing off like a lover’s whisper.

One of the greatest benefits of being in the cultivation world was that no scumbag dared to make false vows. The heavens were always watching.

And if you lied? Well, the lightning would come.

Ni Si was spoiled and had been flattered by everyone in the sect since childhood. If it weren’t for Li Dong’s good looks and his prideful, unyielding demeanor, she would never have noticed him.

She turned her head and met Lin Du’s gaze, which was filled with a smile.

When Lin Du smiled, her dark eyes were still deep and mysterious, drawing people in. Her face was earnest, and when she looked at someone seriously, it was as if she held affection for them, completely different from her usual aloofness. Those under her gaze couldn’t help but feel a sense of importance.

Ni Si took her words to heart.

“Beautiful sister, be a little smarter.”

Lin Du snapped her fingers near Ni Si’s ear, then glanced at Du Shao.

She was waiting for her reaction.

To Lin Du, Du Shao wasn’t entirely beyond help, but her value had reached its limit.

Lin Du didn’t like indecisive people.

Suddenly, Du Shao reached out and snatched the spirit sword from Li Dong’s waist. The sword was drawn, producing a clear, pleasant hum.

It was a high-grade weapon, the kind that would be considered a valuable asset for an ordinary low-level cultivator without any backing.

Li Dong instinctively pressed down on the sword’s scabbard, but the woman let out a resentful laugh and, with a single slash, severed the knot of the jade pendant. She then threw the pendant into his arms.

“My father’s belonging has been reclaimed. The sword is still sharp and can be paired with another scabbard. From now on, our ties are severed, and we are nothing more than strangers.”

Du Shao’s usually gentle features now carried an unspoken determination and sharpness as she walked out of the shop with the spirit sword in hand.

Li Dong, shocked, shouted, “How dare you take my sword!”

He tried to chase after her, but the sword’s cold blade flashed, slicing through the air and stopping firmly at his collar.

The woman stood tall, her swordsmanship unrefined, but her gaze was even colder than the sword’s edge.

“Even a clay figure has a temper. You’ve humiliated me enough today. If you speak another false word, I won’t hesitate to fight you.”

Lin Du raised her eyebrows in surprise—Du Shao was much more resolute than she had expected.

Indeed, once someone with a love-struck mind wakes up, they become much more agreeable.

Li Dong had always thought of Du Shao as gentle, soft-spoken, and easily manipulated. He never imagined she would dare to hold a sword to his throat.

Du Shao wasn’t skilled with a sword, but that didn’t stop the blade from being sharp. As she sheathed the sword, she pressed it slightly against his neck. “If you move again, the blade will cut an inch deeper, and it will slice your carotid artery. Your beloved will be splattered with your dying blood.”

Being a healer, she naturally knew where to strike for a swift death.

Li Dong froze, too afraid to move, as Du Shao sheathed the sword. The blade brushed against his neck, leaving a thin line of blood.

He cried out in pain, but Du Shao didn’t look back.

She walked away decisively, as proud and cold as a plum blossom in the snow.

“Aren’t you going to clean the sword? His blood is far too filthy.”

Lin Du’s voice echoed from behind.

Du Shao heard this, accepted a cloth, and as her eyelashes fluttered, tears began to fall.

The water droplets fell onto the silver blade, trickling down and leaving a meandering trail.

Lin Du sighed softly, “The swordsmith wasn’t very good. A well-crafted blade shouldn’t leave marks after touching water.”

Du Shao had been holding herself together, but Lin Du’s words caused all her pent-up grief and pain to flood out.

Yet, something about what this child said made her laugh despite herself.

She took a handkerchief and wiped her tears, laughing and crying at the same time. “I almost forgot, you’re just a child.”

Lin Du blinked and didn’t argue.

Du Shao kept laughing, but the tears wouldn’t stop. Feeling embarrassed, she covered her face with the handkerchief, but her heart grew even more aggrieved, and she began to sob.

Lin Du was about to leave but sighed when she saw Du Shao’s state. She used her spiritual power to guide Du Shao to an abandoned courtyard, kicking the door open and leading her inside.

“Cry here first; I’ll go scavenge for something and be right back.”

With that, Lin Du swiftly entered the house, politely addressing a skeleton before quickly rummaging through the place.

Seeing Lin Du like this, Du Shao couldn’t help but smile again. She wiped her tears and let out a deep breath.

As she watched the child wander around the house, she heard a crash as a fist broke something. Worry crept into her voice. “Why do you always use your fists?”

Lin Du didn’t respond, picking out some useful items and walking out of the house. She casually handed Du Shao a jade pendant. “Here, there are countless mountains of jade in the world, each more refined and skillfully carved than the last. I picked this one off the ground, and it’s already better than that other pendant.”

Du Shao accepted it. The jade was warm to the touch, and a faint spiritual energy flowed into her. She whispered, “It’s not the same.”

“Sister, let me give you some advice.” Lin Du raised her hand and pinched the bridge of her nose. “No matter what emotional value that jade pendant held, even if it was passed down from your great-uncle, if it’s just an ordinary stone, then it’s just a stone.”

“Only something that’s priceless, with a long shelf life, that increases in value over time instead of depreciating—only that can be called an heirloom.”

“A mere stone isn’t worth anything.”

Lin Du’s rare rough tone and the lively expression in her eyes made her seem different from usual.

Du Shao kept looking at her and then suddenly smiled warmly. “Lin Du, has anyone ever told you that you really don’t seem like a child?”

Lin Du glanced up. “Someone with parents is called a child; without them, you’re just a person.”

Before Du Shao could respond, Lin Du calculated something with her fingers. “We don’t have much time left. I need to go scavenging. Those two don’t seem like the forgiving type; they’ll probably seek revenge. Do you want to come with me?”

Du Shao nodded in agreement, then pulled out a small packet. “It looked like your heart was bothering you earlier. Come here, and let me give you an acupuncture treatment.”

Lin Du’s eyelid twitched, and she tried to sneak away. “Maybe not, Sister.”

But Du Shao grabbed her by the collar of her white fox-fur coat. “Didn’t you say you were an adult? Only children are afraid of needles. If you’re an adult, then come here and take it like one.”