As the saying goes, those involved are blinded, while onlookers see clearly.
Under the pavilion.
Qian Shan looked at the troubled Su Hua and couldn't help but sigh.
She understood very well that her Young Lady had likely developed feelings for Gu Qingfeng—perhaps not just liking him, but having fallen in love with him.
Others might not know.
But Qian Shan, who had followed Su Hua for many years, knew all too well. Before discovering that Gu Qingfeng was Lord Chixiao, Su Hua had searched the world for Lord Chixiao, but back then, her search was purely for the sake of karma.
Ever since learning that Gu Qingfeng was Lord Chixiao, Su Hua's search for Lord Chixiao was no longer just about karma.
Although Su Hua had never spoken of missing Gu Qingfeng.
Qian Shan could see it—Su Hua's longing for Gu Qingfeng was already written all over her face.
If it weren't so, Su Hua clearly knew that if Gu Qingfeng wanted to hide, no one else could possibly find him. Yes, Su Hua knew, and she knew it better than anyone. Yet even so, for over a decade, she had still searched the world tirelessly. If that wasn't longing, what was it?
When she couldn't find Gu Qingfeng, Su Hua would stay in her cave dwelling, as if she had become a different person, often lost in thought alone, sometimes for ten days or half a month at a time.
For this reason.
Qian Shan had always been deeply worried.
Because she knew Su Hua's existence was that of a True Mandate Bearer destined to face the tribulation, carrying a mission, a heavy responsibility, and even the rise and fall of the Present Era.
And Gu Qingfeng? A person of Original Sin whom Heaven and Earth could not tolerate, a person of Original Sin who threatened the Present Era's Heaven and Earth.
A True Mandate Bearer destined to face the tribulation, and a person of Original Sin who threatened Heaven and Earth.
The two were as incompatible as fire and water. Yet, it was precisely these two incompatible individuals who were bound together by karma and fate—a terrifying prospect in itself.
If the True Mandate Bearer destined to face the tribulation were to fall in love with this person of Original Sin who threatened Heaven and Earth, what kind of dreadful consequences might unfold? Qian Shan truly couldn't imagine.
"Young Lady."
After much deliberation, Qian Shan finally walked over and asked, "Have you truly fallen for that fellow surnamed Gu..." Before she could finish, Su Hua immediately shook her head in denial. "No, impossible, don't let your imagination run wild!"
"But..."
"But what?"
Su Hua stood up abruptly, glaring at Qian Shan, and said bluntly, "There is no 'but'! I've told you, my heart already belongs to another. In all of Heaven and Earth, I, Su Hua, have only ever been moved by the Nine Nethers Emperor. I only like the Nine Nethers Emperor. Aside from him, no other man could ever stir my heart. As for that scoundrel Gu Qingfeng, hmph! Do you think I would fall for a filthy rogue? I'm looking for that scoundrel only to have him help me unravel my karmic dream. There's no other reason! None! None! Absolutely none!"
"Alright..." Qian Shan had wanted to say more, but seeing Su Hua's nearly frantic state, she thought better of it and let it go.
Returning to the pavilion, Su Hua took out a jar of Heart Wine she had brewed herself and drank three cups in succession. As if that weren't enough, she drank three more.
At some point, Su Hua had gradually developed a fondness for drinking. Whenever she felt agitated, she couldn't help but have a few cups. She hadn't realized it before, but since she started drinking, she discovered that wine was truly a wonderful thing—especially when drunk, all those messy worries simply vanished.
Watching Su Hua drink cup after cup without pause.
Qian Shan opened her mouth, then closed it, holding back her words.
The Heart Wine was taught to her by the Female Sect Master Ye Tianlan, and it was taught not long after Gu Qingfeng disappeared.
Qian Shan still remembered Ye Tianlan saying at the time that Su Hua might need this Heart Wine in the future, so she taught her how to brew it.
Back then, Qian Shan hadn't fully understood the meaning behind those words.
Now, she more or less understood why the Female Sect Master Ye Tianlan had said Su Hua would need this Heart Wine.
In Qian Shan's view, perhaps the Female Sect Master back then had already seen that Su Hua had fallen for Gu Qingfeng. After Gu Qingfeng disappeared, Su Hua would surely suffer from the pain of longing. Therefore, she taught her to brew Heart Wine.
"Heh."
While drinking, Su Hua suddenly let out a soft, inexplicable laugh. Gazing at the crystal-clear cup in her hand, she murmured inwardly: It seems that back then, Ye Tianlan must have been troubled just like I am now, which is why she brewed this wine that doesn't intoxicate the person but intoxicates the heart. She must have struggled too, and experienced it all. If that's the case...
Back then, she probably also developed feelings for Gu Qingfeng...
Heh!
Su Hua chuckled softly, then shook her head, not dwelling on it further, and downed the wine in her cup in one go.
A moment later.
She asked, "Qian Shan, has anything interesting happened outside recently?"
Perhaps not expecting Su Hua to suddenly ask such a strange question, Qian Shan was momentarily stunned before replying, "I haven't heard of anything happening."
"Is that fellow surnamed Shi still madly pursuing Yeye?"
"He probably isn't anymore?"
Qian Shan said, "Ever since the story of Yeye and Gu Qingfeng spread throughout the world, Shi Tian has almost constantly been searching for Gu Qingfeng. He even swore to the heavens that he would personally kill Gu Qingfeng right in front of Yeye."
"Heh, what kind of person is Gu Qingfeng? If he wants to hide, I'm afraid no one in all of Heaven and Earth can find him."
Hearing this, Qian Shan gave Su Hua a deep look. At this moment, she very much wanted to say: Since you know that, why have you been searching so desperately for over a decade?
Even so, you still stubbornly deny it, saying it's impossible to have fallen for Gu Qingfeng. Really, enough is enough.
"What about Yeye? Any news of her recently?"
"I heard Yeye has been in the Southern Sea area lately, purifying the sea's waters."
"The Southern Sea... Oh, I see."
"Young Lady, don't you think... Yeye seems to have changed from before? In my memory, the old Yeye was a cheerful, lively girl. Since her emergence, she seems to have changed a lot—taciturn, speaking little. When I last saw her, she looked deeply melancholy, which was quite heartbreaking."
"Yeye hasn't changed; she's grown up..."
"Grown up?"
Clearly, Qian Shan couldn't grasp the meaning behind Su Hua's words about 'growing up.'
"Yeye's existence is rather special, especially her relationship with the Dao of Nature. It might be far more complex than I imagined. I'm genuinely a bit worried about her."
"Young Lady, what are you worried about regarding Yeye?"
Suddenly recalling Ouyang Ye's past episode of madness, Qian Shan said, "Are you worried about Yun Nishang? By the way, Young Lady, I've always wanted to ask: what exactly is the relationship between Yeye and Yun Nishang?"
"Yun Nishang is Yun Nishang, Yeye is Yeye. Yun Nishang is Yeye, and Yeye is Yun Nishang. They are inseparable. If I must define the relationship between the two, I'd say Yun Nishang is the cause, and Yeye is the effect. The past life's Yun Nishang, the present life's Ouyang Ye."
"So, I'm not worried about Yun Nishang, because after Yeye's awakening this time, the name Yun Nishang no longer exists in Heaven and Earth. There is only Ouyang Ye."
"Young Lady, if you're not worried about Yun Nishang, then what are you worried about?"