Chapter 51 – Reputation

The voice startled her, sending a chill down her spine. Goosebumps prickled her arms.

Perhaps realizing he had scared her, Xiao Yuqing loosened his grip slightly. “Miss Yu, are you all right?”

Yu Zhengzheng shook her head but couldn’t form a reply for a long while.

He hadn’t been in the outer hall moments ago—how had he suddenly appeared behind her?

Had he noticed her tailing him?

The more she thought, the more convinced she became. Still, she maintained a calm façade. “I saw Elder Xiao hurrying earlier. I was worried you were injured, so I followed to check on you.”

It was better to admit the truth than to be questioned and forced to lie later.

“Are you hurt, Elder Xiao?” she asked, her face filled with concern.

Xiao Yuqing looked exhausted, his complexion pale and his lips devoid of color. “Miss Yu, could you help me to the bed? I have something to tell you.”

Yu Zhengzheng hesitated briefly, then nodded. “All right.”

Rong Shang was right outside and surely knew Xiao Yuqing was no ally. He wouldn’t stray too far.

If Xiao Yuqing knew she was here, he must also be aware of Rong Shang’s presence nearby and likely wouldn’t dare act recklessly.

Besides, her curiosity about what Xiao Yuqing wanted to say outweighed her caution.

She supported his arm, leading him into the inner chamber. He truly seemed gravely injured—his steps were unsteady, and his face was as pale as a sheet.

By the time they reached the bedside, he appeared to have lost all strength, as though on the verge of fainting.

Yu Zhengzheng couldn’t help but ask, “Elder Xiao, were you wounded by the demonic cultivators?”

Xiao Yuqing’s pale lips parted, his gaze dim. “No. This state of mine… is because of An Ning.”

It was the first time she heard him mention An Ning voluntarily.

Stunned, she couldn’t decipher his intent.

An Ning was undeniably connected to him, yet he had exposed her identity and now looked as if he were on death’s door. Why bring her up in this state?

Xiao Yuqing let out a bitter laugh. “Miss Yu, you must have known for a while that An Ning was a high-level puppet, right?”

Yu Zhengzheng froze, unable to form a response.

“I never wanted to speak of this. But today, with my disciples and juniors slaughtered, I can’t remain silent. If I don’t confess, how can I face them in the afterlife?”

Xiao Yuqing sighed, his voice steady as he began recounting a story filled with twists and turns.

Once upon a time, there was a mountain. On the mountain stood a temple, and within the temple lived an old monk named Master Jingkong.

Master Jingkong was a skilled healer and a compassionate soul. He often used the temple’s incense offerings to help orphans and widows and would venture into the mountains to gather herbs for treating the sick and impoverished.

The temple was humble, housing only three people: Master Jingkong and his two male disciples, Lu Renjia and Xiao Bichi, whom he had taken in.

One winter, while meditating by a mountain stream with his disciples, they heard the faint cries of an infant. Upon investigating, they found a baby girl buried beneath the snow. Unable to let her perish, Master Jingkong brought her back to the temple.

A temple, however, was no place to raise a little girl. He sought a good family to adopt her, but the local villagers were too poor to take on the burden of another mouth to feed. Reluctantly, Master Jingkong decided to raise her himself, giving her a lovely name: Xuexi.

As Xuexi grew, her natural talent for medicine became evident. Before she even reached adulthood, it was clear she might one day surpass Master Jingkong. Delighted, the old monk revealed that he had once been part of a prominent family in the immortal cultivation world, specializing in healing. Circumstances had led him to renounce worldly life and retreat to the mountains.

With no heirs to inherit his knowledge, and neither Xiao Bichi nor Lu Renjia showing much promise, Master Jingkong’s only remaining wish before passing away was for someone to carry on his legacy. He devoted himself to mentoring Xuexi, even sharing the temple’s rare and precious medical texts with her.

Xuexi did not disappoint. She immersed herself in study, climbed mountains to gather herbs, refined medicinal pills, and advanced rapidly in her cultivation, soon reaching the late Nascent Soul stage.

Lu Renjia and Xiao Bichi, on the other hand, grew resentful. After decades of studying under Master Jingkong, they had only managed to reach the Golden Core stage. How could Xuexi, so much younger, surpass them so easily? Their jealousy festered, and they began plotting to extract her secrets.

One day, while the three were gathering herbs on the mountain, a sudden storm forced them to take shelter in a cave. Seeing the opportunity, Lu Renjia and Xiao Bichi ambushed Xuexi, knocking her unconscious.

Xiao Bichi only wanted to learn her cultivation techniques, but Lu Renjia’s thoughts turned sinister. In the ensuing struggle, Xiao Bichi accidentally killed him. At that moment, Xuexi regained consciousness and witnessed Xiao Bichi standing over Lu Renjia’s body.

Desperate, Xiao Bichi explained himself and begged Xuexi not to tell Master Jingkong. Seeing that Xiao Bichi had acted to protect her, Xuexi softened and agreed to keep his secret. Together, they fabricated a story about Lu Renjia’s death, and life at the temple resumed as before.

Xiao Bichi’s obsession with Xuexi grew. He realized he had fallen in love with her but tried to suppress his feelings. This tenuous balance lasted until Master Jingkong’s sudden passing.

Afterward, Xiao Bichi and Xuexi each established their own sects on the mountain. Xuexi’s sect focused on spreading medical knowledge to help the sick, while Xiao Bichi sought to build the most powerful sect in the cultivation world. Despite his ambitions, Xiao Bichi eventually confessed his feelings to Xuexi, only to be gently rejected. She saw him as nothing more than an elder brother.

Resigned, Xiao Bichi continued to watch over Xuexi. Their relationship remained close, yet platonic, for years—until the arrival of Xiangfeng shattered their peace.

Xuexi saved a man who turned out to be a viper. Xiangfeng eventually drove Xuexi to her death and slaughtered thousands of disciples at Lingbi Palace, her sect.

After Xuexi’s death, Xiao Bichi fell into despair. He preserved her body in an ice coffin and never married. Years later, he found a child, Xiao Yuqing, abandoned at the mountain’s base. Perhaps recalling how he had once taken in Xuexi, he adopted Xiao Yuqing as his son.

At this point, Yu Zhengzheng couldn’t help interrupting: “What does any of this have to do with An Ning?”

Xiao Yuqing pressed his pale lips together, his eyes dim. “My father treated me well, as if I were his own flesh and blood. But centuries ago, he suddenly changed.”

He paused, then continued, “One day, he took me to a secret chamber. There, I saw Xuexi’s body—or rather, An Ning’s.”

He coughed violently, his complexion deathly pale, before explaining, “High-level puppetry requires infusing a soul into the puppet. But once the soul is bound, their fates are intertwined.”

Yu Zhengzheng immediately understood. Xiao Bichi had refused to bind himself to the puppet and had instead used Xiao Yuqing’s soul to animate An Ning’s body. This was why Xiao Yuqing shared An Ning’s injuries. Her weakening state explained why Xiao Yuqing had struggled in his recent fight with demonic cultivators.

Yu Zhengzheng hesitated before asking, “He’s your father. Why are you telling me this?”

Xiao Yuqing lowered his gaze, his voice barely audible. “He is not my father. My real father was killed by him long ago.”

“My life was saved by my father. If he wanted to take it back, I would willingly give it. But…” He trailed off, his face contorting with pain. “Last night, I heard strange noises coming from my father’s chambers. Worried for his safety, I rushed over, only to see him through the window… in his dragon form, drinking human blood.”

Yu Zhengzheng was stunned. A dragon? Drinking human blood?

Xiao Bichi, being a mortal who cultivated, should have had a human form. How could he transform into a dragon? The only dragon bloodlines on Qingcheng Mountain belonged to Lord Rong and the Seventh Crown Prince, but both had been with her the previous night.

Then who—or what—had Xiao Yuqing seen?

Xiao Yuqing let out a long sigh. “Puppetry is forbidden. I couldn’t bring myself to act against him, which is why I remained silent for so long. But I also can’t let An Ning continue to harm others. I had no choice but to use my soul to control her and expose the truth through the Mirror of Reincarnation.”

Yu Zhengzheng said nothing.

Xiao Yuqing’s explanation was logical, leaving no room for doubt.

According to his words, he was entangled with An Ning and was forced to conceal her identity. He refrained from exposing the fake Xiao Bichi to avoid alarming him and hinted at An Ning in the Hall of Virtue, prompting her to reveal her identity in front of the Soul Mirror to prevent further harm.

Though unexpected, his reasoning was coherent.

Lowering her gaze, Yu Zhengzheng remarked, “Surely, Brother Xiao has more to say than just this, right?”

A bitter smile appeared on Xiao Yuqing’s lips. “Miss Yu is perceptive. Last night, I overheard him conversing with someone and learned that he is the orphan of the Third Crown Prince of the Eastern Emperor. He mentioned that on the full moon tomorrow, he would be at his weakest and needs to consume more human blood to restore his strength.”

The orphan of the Third Crown Prince of the Eastern Emperor?

If this fake Xiao Bichi were indeed the prince’s descendant, wouldn’t that make him Rong Shang’s brother?

The full moon was tomorrow.

Yu Zhengzheng’s thoughts churned, but she refrained from expressing doubts, simply nodding before asking, “How can I help you?”

Xiao Yuqing hesitated for a moment, as though struggling with his words, before finally saying, “Stay with me… Don’t leave, alright?”

He reached out his warm hand and gently clasped hers.

Yu Zhengzheng froze for a moment. The last person who had pleaded with her not to leave was her high school gym teacher.

If Xiao Yuqing was genuinely a victim, he could be considered partially innocent. Yet, being alone with him in a room—a man and a woman—didn’t seem appropriate.

As she pondered how to decline tactfully, she suddenly felt a chilling presence behind her. Turning instinctively, she saw through the distant window Rong Shang’s icy, deadpan expression.

This shameless man had been eavesdropping outside the window the entire time?!

Rong Shang’s face remained composed, exuding an air of calm. Of course, that would have been more convincing if he hadn’t been staring intently at their clasped hands.

With one hand resting casually on the window frame, his expression remained indifferent. He mouthed two words: “Come out.”

Yu Zhengzheng sneered, then tightened her grip on Xiao Yuqing’s hand. “Of course, no problem. Brother Xiao, rest well. I’ll stay here and accompany you—even all night if needed!”

She deliberately emphasized the words “all night,” and at that moment, there was a sharp crack as Rong Shang broke the window frame with his bare hands.

Xiao Yuqing, lying reclined on the couch, was shielded by the bed frame and curtains, unable to see what was happening. Hearing the noise, he instinctively turned his head, but Yu Zhengzheng quickly cupped his face with her hands. “The wind is strong. Let me close the window.”

With that, she withdrew her hand from his and headed toward the left side of the room.

Xiao Yuqing’s sleeping quarters were spacious, and she quickened her steps to reach the window.

“What do you want?!” she whispered angrily, her eyes blazing. Still, mindful of his weakened state, she kept her voice low.

Rong Shang’s face remained impassive. “That is a question I should be asking you.”

“Didn’t you hear everything?” Yu Zhengzheng pointed to Xiao Yuqing on the couch and said, “Brother Xiao is a good man. He’s in a fragile state right now. Don’t cause trouble.”

Cause trouble?

She was about to spend the night with Xiao Yuqing, and she dared to accuse him of causing trouble?!

Rong Shang’s eyes narrowed slightly. “Just a bit of charm, and you’re so smitten you’d risk your reputation?”

Yu Zhengzheng rolled her eyes. “My reputation was ruined by you. At this point, I’m just making the same mistake every woman would…”

She didn’t get to finish her sentence.

Rong Shang leaned in suddenly, his large hand cupping the back of her head as he crushed his lips against hers, silencing her with a fierce kiss.

The sharp pain made Yu Zhengzheng wince, and she instinctively raised her hand to slap him, only for him to grab her wrist mid-air.

Xiao Yuqing seemed to hear the commotion and let out a sudden cough. In a gentle voice, he called, “Miss Yu, are you alright?”

Yu Zhengzheng tried to respond, but her lips were sealed.

She struggled desperately against Rong Shang’s hold, but no matter how hard she fought, she couldn’t break free.

Xiao Yuqing called again, “Miss Yu?”

When there was no reply, he slowly sat up on the couch and looked toward the window. The space where Yu Zhengzheng had been moments ago was now empty.

A faint smile graced Xiao Yuqing’s lips as he leisurely approached the half-broken window. Gazing out into the empty night, he muttered softly, “Brother, even you aren’t immune to matters of the heart, are you?”

He didn’t know the answer, but one thing was certain—the fish had taken the bait.

Meanwhile, Yu Zhengzheng dragged Rong Shang away, storming through the halls with his collar clenched tightly in her fist.

She had initially planned to hoist him like a sack of potatoes as he often did with her. However, given his towering stature, that thought was quickly abandoned. Instead, she resorted to dragging him like a limp, lifeless dog.

Once back inside, she let go of his collar and glared at him coldly. “What is your deal? Wasn’t I clear enough this morning?”

Though dragged unceremoniously, Rong Shang’s demeanor remained serene. Dusting off his robe, he replied, “I never agreed.”

Yu Zhengzheng’s face flushed with frustration. “Rong Shang, I liked you for seven years. But I don’t like you anymore. Can’t you just let me go?”

Rong Shang fell silent.

He couldn’t understand. He had overlooked her actions last night, yet she remained fixated on the past.

Previously, he had despised her because he believed she resembled the goddess. Yet aside from having her care for his dogs, wash his clothes, and cook for seven years, he had done nothing else to her.

The one time he had wronged her was when she shielded him from a sword and fell off a cliff. That incident, he acknowledged, was his fault. But it was in the past, and he could not undo it.

What must he do to make her forget those unpleasant memories?

Rong Shang lowered his gaze, his voice cool and steady. “You still like me.”

Yu Zhengzheng sighed, exasperated. “Whether I like you or not doesn’t matter. What matters is I don’t want anything to do with you anymore.”

He pressed his thin lips together. “Because of Xiao Yuqing?”

She turned her head away. “It has nothing to do with him.”

He refused to relent. “Then why?”

Losing patience, Yu Zhengzheng replied, “That sword from Xiang Feng nearly pierced my heart. I’ve already died once for you. Do you want me to die a second time?”

Rong Shang was momentarily stunned.

So it was still because of that sword.

Would her resentment only be resolved if he died for her once?

“The words Xiao Yuqing just said, you must have heard them clearly,” Yu Zhengzheng said, taking two steps before halting again. “If the current Sect Leader Xiao truly is your younger brother, and if the drug’s effects take time to wear off, you’d better be careful.”

Rong Shang remained silent for a moment before grabbing her hand. “Do you trust Xiao Yuqing that much?”

Yu Zhengzheng shook her head. “Whether what he says is true or false has nothing to do with me. This is your matter.”

Rong Shang tightened his grip. “There will be a thunderstorm tomorrow.”

Yu Zhengzheng paused briefly, then flung his hand away. “That has nothing to do with me either.”

He wanted to say more, but a frantic voice came from outside. Hengwu Xianjun called out, “Yu Zhengzheng, is Shanshui with you?!”

Hearing Shanshui’s name, Yu Zhengzheng felt a sudden sense of foreboding. She rushed out. “What happened to Shanshui?”

Hengwu Xianjun stood with his arms stiff at his sides, his face ashen. “Shanshui is missing.”