Liu Qiao’e neither confirmed nor denied it.
If it had been before, she might have had the leisure to tangle with him in those love-hate entanglements a bit longer.
But now, with the great war at hand, there was no room for romantic sentiments.
She had been occupied with the war these past days, and that bit of affection between man and woman had naturally faded by seven or eight parts.
She no longer had time.
It was better to cut the Gordian knot, to sever everything cleanly with one stroke, no questions asked.
If she did not quickly extinguish his hopes, who knew how long the two of them would keep going back and forth.
She had made up her mind, and her words were neither cold nor warm, light as clouds and wind:
“Assigning him to attend to you back then was indeed the right decision.”
Liu Qiao’e gave him a once-over. “You seem to like him very much.”
Mu Daoying’s face showed disappointment. “Zhu Qing is still a child!”
Her nonchalant attitude had clearly enraged him. He could no longer conceal the anger in his heart.
“What?” Liu Qiao’e’s expression changed, as if she too had been provoked, her attitude suddenly turning fierce.
“You think I would lay hands on a little servant boy?!”
Mu Daoying slightly lowered his eyes, feeling she was utterly unreasonable. He no longer wished to play along with her. Coldly, he said, “Where exactly is he?”
Liu Qiao’e: “You and I haven’t seen each other in many days. With great difficulty we’ve spoken a few words—does he matter more than me?”
“Mu Daoying, that night when you forced yourself on me, your attitude wasn’t so cold!”
Mu Daoying: “……”
Mu Daoying was at a loss for words, knowing he was in the wrong. He pursed his lips slightly, paused, and then spoke.
“……I want to see proof of his fate.”
“He’s dead.” Liu Qiao’e said indifferently.
Mu Daoying repeated: “……Dead?”
“Yes, dead.” Liu Qiao’e said coldly. “You guessed right—I did indeed lay hands on him. It seems you’ve gotten quite a bit of information from him these days. You like him, he likes you; your brotherly bond is touching, but the Joyous Union Palace has no need for insiders who betray us.”
Mu Daoying stared fixedly at her. Liu Qiao’e tugged at the corner of her lips, her brows and eyes hard as iron, meeting his gaze without a change in expression.
His hands began to tremble uncontrollably.
After a moment, Mu Daoying suddenly closed his eyes, his tone calming. “I don’t believe it.”
Liu Qiao’e’s expression changed slightly. “I did kill him. And right now, I could kill you too!”
“You don’t believe me?” Her figure suddenly moved like a ghost, and in a single breath, she had floated right up to him.
She raised her hand and clamped tight around his neck!!
“!”
Mu Daoying was forced to tilt his head back, his breathing instantly growing rapid.
She stared coldly at him, tightening her grip on his neck and lifting him up. Seeing his pain, the force in her palm did not lessen by even a fraction—instead, it grew tighter.
The thin air was constantly squeezed from his lungs. Mu Daoying was in agony, his brows furrowed tight, his pale face flushing with two patches of red, his vision growing ever more blurred.
He only heard her icy voice: “This is how I killed him. Do you believe me now?”
Mu Daoying could not catch his breath, and with great effort he said, “I… don’t… believe…”
Liu Qiao’e nearly died of anger at him!
This stubborn mule who wouldn’t yield to either soft or hard tactics!
As the air ebbed away, his gaze gradually lost focus. She slowly leaned in close, meeting his pitch-black, vacant eyes.
“Mu Daoying, do you truly love me that much? Even if I killed your master, you wouldn’t blame me?”
His body shuddered violently.
“Even if I slaughtered those Wandering Sword Pavilion disciples right in front of you, you’d still say my nature is good?”
“Even if I killed your Immortal Alliance colleagues, captured your senior brothers and sisters—you think I have my reasons?”
With every sentence she spoke, Mu Daoying’s body in her grasp trembled once, his face growing a shade paler.
Until she whispered:
“Today I kill your Zhu Qing—would you still believe me?
“Still urge me to turn over a new leaf? Rushing so eagerly to find excuses for me like this—do you live up to Ling Yuan? Do you live up to Zhu Qing and the others?
“Being generous at others’ expense—is this the ‘goodness’ you’ve learned?”
Each word was like a poison-quenched blade, piercing deep into his heart and lungs. “Oh, I almost forgot—that night you were quite enthusiastic with me. When you were tumbling over me, did you ever think of your master?”
“Stop.” Mu Daoying’s lips moved in pain, like a bird fallen into her palm, his whole body shaking, his thick black lashes trembling as a tear was forced out.
The tear fell onto her fingertip, as if carrying warmth. Liu Qiao’e’s gaze flickered, as if scalded by the tear. In furious rage, she flung her hand and tossed him away!
Mu Daoying sprawled on the ground, trembling for a while, his lashes laden with tears.
After a moment, he took a deep breath, composed himself, and slowly spoke, resuming his extremely stern demeanor.
“Ying does not believe others’ one-sided words, nor do I believe you—I only believe what I see with my own eyes. I want to see his corpse.”
“It’s gone,” Liu Qiao’e said cruelly. “Didn’t you see those demon beasts from the Demon Domain? They eat people every day. Your Immortal Alliance companions, and that kid Zhu Qing—I fed them all to the beasts.”
“He’s just a child.” He murmured the words unconsciously, emphasizing them, not knowing if he said it to her or to himself.
Liu Qiao’e: “You’ve been to Little Thatch Ridge, and to Cloud Mountain—you should know that I was a child back then too.”
Mu Daoying slowly closed his eyes.
Her voice echoed near and far in his ears.
Before his eyes, one moment it was the skinny, dark-skinned little girl from his imagination, the next it was Zhu Qing’s innocent face.
He could not understand how things had come to this.
How that little girl had become like this now.
Liu Qiao’e: “I wasn’t as lucky as him, having a big brother like you to protect me!”
“Who protected me back then?! Who interrogated Song Qian for my sake, saying I was just a child? Who cared whether I lived or died?!”
He cared! Mu Daoying’s fingertips dug into the ground—he nearly blurted it out!
But he did not, because he no longer knew how to face the person before him.
“That’s different.” He said.
“What’s different?!”
Mu Daoying opened his eyes and slowly said: “Zhu Qing doesn’t owe you anything. Having suffered in the past, now that you’ve achieved success and fame, you should empathize and extend kindness to others. Prevent the tragedy you endured from repeating on them.
“Because they are the you of the past.”
Liu Qiao’e cut him off: “That’s you! Only you are such a saint! I just want revenge! And I’m jealous—jealous of why he has someone protecting him!”
Mu Daoying fell silent.
Liu Qiao’e slowly walked up to him and reached out to lift his face.
“Don’t touch me.” Mu Daoying coldly turned his face away, brushing off her hand, a flicker of disgust and disappointment in his gaze.
He still did not believe she would kill Zhu Qing.
Yet he hated that she insisted on this path, stubborn and unrepentant, refusing to turn back.
Liu Qiao’e’s hand froze in midair, her face expressionless as she stared coldly at him.
Mu Daoying pursed his lips, his face ashen like a pile of burned paper ashes.
After a moment, he raised his eyes to glance at her and gave a miserable smile.
“I understand what you mean. From now on, I won’t force it……”
He said faintly: “It was I who was wrong.”
With that, he stood up, climbed to his feet, and staggered away step by step.
–
After returning to the side hall, his fevered mind cooled slightly.
He still could not let it go, could not believe she would do such a thing, and worried endlessly for Zhu Qing’s safety.
He must have been hidden somewhere he did not know.
Wandering Sword Pavilion, Wu Yunhua…… one thing after another.
Perhaps she was right.
Even Mu Daoying could not help questioning himself.
If what Liu Qiao’e said was true, had he lived up to Zhu Qing?!
He sought out Chen Yuro.
Chen Yuro told him with apparent regret, “Daozhang, Zhu Qing is truly dead.”
Mu Daoying pursed his lips tightly. Chen Yuro was her confidante, so naturally she would help her lie.
Where exactly was Zhu Qing now? They were determined not to let him know, not to let him see him again. They refused to give him any more hope.
Only at this moment did something in Mu Daoying’s heart truly die.
Liu! Qiao! E!
Shock and fury surged within him, a blaze of anger erupting from the depths of his heart, nearly burning through his chest and throat.
He could not believe it, his heart pounding wildly.
He finally understood her attitude completely.
She was forcing him, forcing him to stand on her opposite side, pushing the two of them inexorably toward a path of rupture.
From then on, between the two of them, there was nothing left—no possibility whatsoever—only clash of arms, to the death!
Mu Daoying suppressed the sweet tang rising in his throat with effort, mustered his spirits, and looked toward Chen Yuro: “If Zhu Qing is safe, I hope the Grand Steward will treat him well.”
Chen Yuro cut him off, emphasizing: “Zhu Qing is dead.”
Mu Daoying paused for a long while before faintly saying: “Just consider it Ying dreaming, then.”
His whole body felt cold. He bid farewell to Chen Yuro, and his steps trembled as he left.
Watching that figure in pale cyan gradually disappear around the corner.
Chen Yuro then lightly sighed: “Why must you do this?”
After a moment, Liu Qiao’e emerged from the shadows of the hanging curtain in the corner.
Her expression was a mix of cloud and sun. “A stubborn mule, and so naive too—this man hasn’t fallen to the demonic path even now. Truly rare!”
“If I don’t thoroughly shatter his illusions, who knows how much trouble his endless entanglements will cause later!”
That day, upon just returning to the palace, she had first summoned Chen Yuro.
Chen Yuro reported in detail all of Mu Daoying’s recent movements, down to the smallest detail, naturally including Zhu Qing.
Liu Qiao’e was not too surprised and gave a cold laugh.
“Letting Wu Huayun go—that sounds just like something he would do. Save them? So many people—can he save them all?”
Chen Yuro: “I think he’s not one to stay put. He’ll become a disaster later. What do you plan to do?”
Liu Qiao’e said nothing.
Chen Yuro knew her temperament well and did not press her.
After a moment, Liu Qiao’e coldly said: “Find an opportunity to drive him away.”
“Qiao’e.” Chen Yuro suddenly said.
Liu Qiao’e: “Hm?”
The woman before her suddenly smiled faintly at her, opened her arms, and pulled her entire body into her embrace.
Tall and long-legged, with a gentle press, Liu Qiao’e’s head and face were buried in the woman’s snowy, soft bosom.
Warm and fragrant, soft as cream.
Liu Qiao’e’s face instantly flushed bright red, visibly flustered and embarrassed.
She flailed her arms and asked: “What are you doing?!”
Chen Yuro cradled her head, ruffled her hair messily, and gently pinched her nose.
The infamous, ruthless Immaculate Old Mother now sported a bird’s nest of hair, her face red like a big child.
“You think I couldn’t tell?”
“The first time I saw you, I knew you were cold on the outside but warm within.” Chen Yuro narrowed her eyes in a smile. “It took all my tricks to finally make you buy me as you wished.”
Liu Qiao’e had not expected her to bring up this old matter.
Chen Yuro was actually a Yangzhou slim horse she had bought back.
Many years ago, by chance in a wealthy merchant’s home in the mortal world, she had seen her.
By then, she had been resold several times, over twenty years old and past her prime. The matron treated her harshly, beating and cursing her daily, putting her through no end of torment.
At that time, she had just gained some favor with the old palace lord and needed a trusted confidante. Seeing that Chen Yuro could read and calculate, and was clever and quick-witted, she took a liking to her.
Moreover, Chen Yuro would occasionally cast a flirtatious glance, subtly reeling her in, and soon had her willingly paying the merchant to buy her back.
Thinking of it now, Liu Qiao’e also felt her dazed state back then, hooked by her, was somewhat comical.
She indignantly pinched the soft flesh at her waist: “Slim horse, slim horse—these years you’ve lived so comfortably, where’s any trace of a slim waist left?”
Chen Yuro found it endlessly amusing, laughing until her waist’s soft flesh quivered. She was truly a captivating beauty, radiant and plump.
“That has to thank the Old Mother for your understanding all these years.” She grinned and patted her head again, pinched her cheek. “Otherwise, how could I have grown so hearty and plump?”
“Hmph,” Liu Qiao’e rolled her eyes dramatically, snorting through her nose. “Only you know how to play cute, right?”
The two laughed for a while before Chen Yuro touched her head and gently sighed. “You’re still soft-hearted.”
When it came to serious matters, Liu Qiao’e pursed her lips and fell silent again.
“You’re afraid of failure too, aren’t you?”
Liu Qiao’e’s expression was inscrutable, her mood fluctuating unpredictably. She seemed to have turned back into that ruthless and harsh Immaculate Old Mother.
Chen Yuro wasn’t afraid of her either. She hugged her and slowly stroked the top of her hair, continuing softly.
“If you lose, his time staying here will become his greatest betrayal. The Immortal Alliance probably won’t tolerate him anymore.”
“But he loves you anyway… Sigh…” Chen Yuro paused, then sighed. “You’ve pretty much gotten what you wished for.”
“Daoist Mu is too stubborn and values emotions deeply. If you force him away, he might not be willing to abandon you.”
“Back then, when you had me send Wu Huayun to him, I already sensed something off.”
“This time, you’re using Zhu Qing to pressure him, determined to wear down his affection for you bit by bit?”
Speak of the devil. As the two were talking about Zhu Qing, his small head poked out from the hall door.
The boy’s face was flushed red. He stammered nervously. “O-Old Mother… I finished the books. I came to ask if I can go back now?”
Thinking back to today’s experience left Zhu Qing dazed.
Early that morning, the female servant by Old Mother’s side had come to invite him, saying Old Mother wanted to see him.
He had been startled at the time. After thinking it over, he assumed it was about Daoist Mu and prepared his words accordingly. But when he arrived at the main hall, he was locked inside. A thick stack of medical books was slammed down in front of him with orders to read them all—he couldn’t leave until he finished.
He had left in too much of a hurry and hadn’t had time to tell Mu Daoying. He worried that Mu Daoying hadn’t changed his bandages yet that day. He skimmed through the medical books hastily and rushed back to ask.
Only then did Liu Qiao’e speak. She cast a faint glance his way. “What are kids interrupting adults for? You’ll be let go when it’s time. Get out and go play.”
Zhu Qing pursed his lips. He clearly wanted to say more but didn’t dare. His face turned red as he kowtowed and retreated.
Once Zhu Qing was gone, Liu Qiao’e seemed to organize her thoughts and explained to Chen Yuro.
“I’m not considering things for him. I never intended to do so much for him.”
“He saved my second brother. I’m grateful to him.”
“Things between us are settled now. Keeping him in the palace is ultimately unstable. All this pulling and tugging has annoyed me for so many days.”
“To be honest, after going back and forth like this, I’ve grown a bit reluctant. I wanted to kill him once and for all but always hesitated. I couldn’t find the right moment. Perfect.”
“Next time we meet on the battlefield.” Liu Qiao’e’s eyes flashed. Her voice was cold as ice shards. “Then I naturally won’t hold back against him. I can righteously kill him and end this karmic debt between us.”