Joyous Union Palace had always maintained an unwritten rule.
The female attendants who served guests—and even the male ones—not only had to take care of their guests’ food, clothing, lodging, and travel to make them feel completely at home, but also had to serve them in bed and warm their bedding.
That was why Liu Qiao’e felt so shocked and uncertain after Mu Daoying chose her.
Mu Daoying never dreamed that this aloof woman would return, having stripped off all her clothes and offering herself for the bed. Associating it with the conduct of everyone in Joyous Union Palace from top to bottom, he instantly understood.
“…Is this a requirement of the palace?” He closed his eyes and asked softly, his raven-black eyelashes long and slender.
Before stripping off her clothes and climbing into bed, Liu Qiao’e had naturally hesitated in her heart.
She was very certain that Mu Daoying had chosen her only out of basic human compassion. With Joyous Union Sect’s palace rules being what they were, she could only comply.
She could more or less guess Mu Daoying’s reaction, but seeing him fear her like a tiger, Liu Qiao’e felt displeased instead, her expression turning ugly.
“Does Daoist not know what it means to keep me here to serve you?”
“Serving guests in bed is precisely the unwritten rule of Joyous Union Palace. Now Daoist fears me like a scorpion—where does that leave me?!”
Mu Daoying’s cheeks burned hot; he felt deeply embarrassed, absurd, and awkward. No wonder Joyous Union Palace was not tolerated by the righteous path—their conduct throughout the palace was indeed bold and outrageous.
“This one is a cultivator of the Dao and has no need to trouble Fellow Daoist with serving in bed.” He forcibly suppressed his discomfort and said softly, “Please rise, Fellow Daoist.”
Liu Qiao’e did not move.
Mu Daoying, fearing any impropriety, kept his eyes tightly shut the whole time. After waiting a while with no sound of her getting out of bed and dressing, he called, “Fellow Daoist?”
Liu Qiao’e’s tone suddenly grew intense. “Does Fellow Daoist also find this one ugly in appearance?”
Mu Daoying paused.
The woman before him had perhaps been hurt before and was thus more sensitive and overthinking than most.
“Ying has no such intent. If my words offended Fellow Daoist, Ying apologizes here. It’s just—Fellow Daoist need not go this far.” He explained.
But Liu Qiao’e retorted stiffly, “The disciples of our Joyous Union Palace cultivate in a way utterly different from you righteous path folks. You find it humiliating, but those whom Joyous Union Sect treats as honored guests are without exception prominent figures. To dual cultivate with such figures is actually something we eagerly seek—a great boon.”
Mu Daoying frowned.
When they had first met under the crabapple tree, he had pitied her frail and pitiable state. Now he realized she was no pushover.
“There are no shortcuts in cultivation. Your sect’s techniques may boost cultivation quickly in the short term, but they leave an unstable foundation with endless harm. If Fellow Daoist wishes to advance in martial arts, though Ying is untalented, he can still offer some pointers.”
Liu Qiao’e shot back sharply, “Between heaven and earth, all things require yin and yang. Yang transforms through yin, yin flows through yang— their union is the natural way of things. How could that bring endless harm?”
Liu Qiao’e’s words were sharp, but Mu Daoying’s mind was set. He did not interrupt her, merely waiting quietly for her to finish before saying with a hint of apology, “Sorry.”
“Each has their own path; this one cannot comply.” His tone was flat yet resolute. This was a firm refusal of her intentions.
Liu Qiao’e bit her lower lip hard, her face paling before a flush of humiliated anger quickly rose.
His eyes were shut tight, his jade-like bones elegant and upright as he stood at the door—truly the picture of integrity like clear skies after rain. It only made her naked body seem all the more shameless.
Yet even after she had stripped bare, he still would not have her!
This was Liu Qiao’e’s first time offering herself for the bed.
Though strong-willed, doing something like this was still embarrassing. When she slipped under the covers, shame made her whole body tremble uncontrollably.
She had more or less guessed that Mu Daoying might refuse, but her heart inevitably harbored a sliver of hope like any ordinary person.
She could not help imagining—if Mu Daoying… If Mu Daoying agreed, she shut her eyes in shame, her face also starting to burn.
Even if not for his handsome looks, just his profound cultivation—how much benefit would union with him bring?
Liu Qiao’e’s face alternated between pale and flushed. She clutched the bedding, sat up straight, and silently began to dress.
The rustling of fabric reached his ears. Mu Daoying lowered his gaze and held his breath, guarding his vital essence in meditation, neither listening nor thinking idly.
Once dressed, Liu Qiao’e got off the bed without a word.
Only then did he notice her strange silence and frown. “Fellow Daoist Liu?”
A figure beside him brushed past in a gust of wind, as if unable to bear the humiliation, and fled through the door.
Mu Daoying suddenly realized his words had been too direct and inhumane, perhaps hurting this pitiable woman. He could not help calling after her, “Fellow Daoist Liu?”
She still did not reply.
Assuming she was now fully dressed, Mu Daoying opened his eyes, wanting to explain again:
At least, he did not want to hurt this sensitive woman.
“Fellow Daoist… Ying did not mean…”
“What’s the use of saying that?” Liu Qiao’e said loudly. “You just refuse to share a bed with me!”
Opening his eyes, he met a stubbornly flushed face.
Mu Daoying’s heart jolted.
Even knowing Joyous Union Palace disciples were bold and licentious, he still felt his neck flush red despite himself. The burning heat climbed from his neck, showing signs of worsening.
Meeting Liu Qiao’e’s gaze, he then noticed the woman before him had a pair of autumn-water eyes brimming with spirit, at odds with her appearance.
At this moment, those eyes flashed with unwillingness and grievance.
“I know you men.” Liu Qiao’e gnashed her teeth. “Fine words on the lips—it’s just that you find me ugly.”
Mu Daoying: “…” This was the first time he had seen someone feel unwilling because they could not share a bed with him; he felt doubly awkward and at a loss.
Mu Daoying usually conducted himself with utmost propriety. Apart from a few close friends, he rarely interacted with women, and due to handling punishments, he tended toward sternness.
He did not know how to coax women. He pursed his lips and gave up on softening his tone. “This one does not mean that. Fellow Daoist’s eyes hold spirit, her features clear and bony—how could that be ugly?”
Liu Qiao’e started, seeing his clear eyes. “Pretty words—who can’t say them? This one doesn’t care for words, only actions.”
Mu Daoying actually had a pair of gentle eyes, usually like pure jade and snow. When gazing at someone, they even seemed affectionate.
This girl was heavily guarded and stubborn. Mu Daoying thought for a moment and countered, “Does Fellow Daoist feel there is some part of her that is unattractive?”
Liu Qiao’e’s eyes widened; she was stumped.
Feel where she was ugly? She furrowed her slender brows, suddenly at a loss.
On careful thought, she was naturally dissatisfied with everything. But sometimes, gazing in the mirror in the morning, she felt she had a delicate charm—only those people were blind and could not see her beauty.
Claiming she was ugly was just her defense mechanism; spelling it out would undermine her own prestige.
The woman flushed in slight anger. “Aren’t you afraid of this scar on my face?”
Mu Daoying merely looked at her quietly with his gentle eyes and asked, “Was this congenital or from later injury?”
Liu Qiao’e’s face darkened. “I was injured. What business is it of yours?”
Mu Daoying did not want to see her wallow in self-loathing and deliberately comforted her. “As the saying goes, plum blossoms gain their fragrance from bitter cold. Fellow Daoist’s wound must have been severe; the healing through such pain shows praiseworthy tenacity.”
“This scarred patch is not ugly at all—instead, it enhances a beauty like frost-defying snow.”
Liu Qiao’e was stunned, covering her face; her fingertips burned hot beneath. Fortunately, the scarred area was already red, so it was not suspicious.
She was utterly unwilling to show weakness before others. Her expression turned deliberately cold, eyes holding sarcasm. “This one never knew Jade Sword True Heart was also one for such flowery words.”
Mu Daoying’s expression remained calm. “This one speaks from the heart.”
Liu Qiao’e’s expression softened slightly. Seeing his comforting words take effect, Mu Daoying breathed a sigh of relief inwardly.
His ways were utterly incompatible with Joyous Union Palace’s conduct. All this way, he had forced himself to stay alert despite his injuries, putting on a facade. Now that this breath relaxed, his vision suddenly went black, nearly causing him to stagger.
Mu Daoying frowned imperceptibly and instinctively wanted to tough it out and conceal it.
Liu Qiao’e glanced at him a few times and suddenly said, “You’re injured?”
Since it was seen through, Mu Daoying no longer bothered with futile pretense and stated the facts. “The Immortal Alliance once used some punishments on me.”
Liu Qiao’e frowned, her tone a bit stiff. “…Wait here. I’ll fetch some medicine for your wounds.”
Mu Daoying replied politely, “Thank you for the trouble.”
Liu Qiao’e said coolly, “The steward assigned me to you, so I can’t let you die here. Better to heal you up first—that way it’s easier for Joyous Union Palace to interrogate.”
The final words “interrogate” were shocking, but Mu Daoying ignored them as if oblivious, his breathing steady as ever.
After a short while, Liu Qiao’e returned hugging bottles and jars.
She seemed unaccustomed to caring for others and stiffly pointed out the medicines, explaining their effects, usage, and dosages one by one to Mu Daoying.
Mu Daoying listened attentively to each. At the end, he said, “Many thanks.”
After waiting a moment, the woman before him stood rigidly in place like a rooted tree, showing no sign of leaving.
Mu Daoying: “Fellow Daoist Liu?”
Only then did Liu Qiao’e’s gaze flicker evasively; her throat bobbed. “Can you manage alone? Do you need me to apply the medicine?”
She stole occasional glances at him, her gaze veiled yet utterly bare.
Mu Daoying felt as if pricked by a needle, a faint discomfort rising in his heart.
He was silent for a beat, his voice turning deliberately cold. “No need.”
Liu Qiao’e’s face tightened, as if feeling guilty herself, and she did not insist. “I’ll stand guard at the door. Call if you need anything.”
Mu Daoying agreed. After Liu Qiao’e left the room, he glanced at the door a few times, silently walked over to latch it shut, then finally undid the coarse hemp daoist robe wrapped around him, revealing his body covered in wounds.
The bloodied flesh of his wounds had crusted with the rough hemp cloth; undressing tore off bits of flesh with it.
In no time, fresh blood spotted his body again.
In truth, his temperament was no less stubborn than Liu Qiao’e’s. The Immortal Alliance was not peaceful internally; the major families openly and covertly vied fiercely.
Some wanted to force out Ling Yuan’s whereabouts; others wanted to extract a confession from him to pin collusion with the Demonic Sect on Ling Yuan. Mu Daoying refused, so the Immortal Alliance resorted to cruel torture. Even after exhausting their tortures, he still would not yield.
With no other options, the Immortal Alliance sent him to Golden Court Jade Terrace.
Mu Daoying followed Liu Qiao’e’s instructions and applied medicine to each wound. In short order, the pain greatly eased.
Medicine and the Dao had been inseparable since ancient times. Mu Daoying also knew medicine and could tell the combinations of these medicines were quite sophisticated.
If they were all selected by Liu Qiao’e—unexpectedly, despite her mediocre cultivation, she was skilled in medicine. Truly, there were people beyond people, heavens beyond heavens; no one could be underestimated.
Once tidied up, he formed a cleansing incantation, intending to rest on the bed.
Seeing the bedding disheveled and messy, Mu Daoying paused slightly. He had a cleanliness obsession; since Liu Qiao’e had lain naked in it, no matter what, he would not sleep there again.
He could only return to the small blue-cloth meditation cushion by the desk, sit cross-legged, and enter meditation.