Chapter 39: Peace
Three weeks had passed since Lin Yuan left to seek his Core Formation breakthrough.
Sitting gracefully on the porch of the main hall, Bai Qingyue rested the Zither across her lap. Her fingers danced across the strings, plucking an enchanting melody that seemed to weave the very air into strands of emotions. The music was not infused with spiritual qi she had once commanded, yet its sheer purity resonated deeply within the soul.
A few paces away, sitting cross-legged on the clean-swept floor of the courtyard, was Bai Chen.
The young man had diligently maintained his post just inside the barrier for the entire duration of Lin Yuan’s absence. Having broken through to the 9th level of Qi Condensation, his aura was noticeably sharper, his breathing steadier. However, right now, his eyes were closed, and his expression was one of profound, melancholic peace as he let his cousin’s music wash over him.
As the final note trilled and slowly faded into the quiet sanctuary, Bai Chen let out a long, heavy sigh and opened his eyes.
"Your skills have not dulled a single fraction, Cousin Qingyue," Bai Chen said softly, offering a deeply respectful bow from his seated position. "In fact, I dare say there is a depth to your music now that surpasses even your peak."
Bai Qingyue’s hands came to a gentle rest atop the zither. She offered a warm, somewhat wistful smile. "You flatter me, Bai Chen. Without spiritual qi to carry the resonance, it is merely the sound of wood and silk."
"It is the sound of the heavens," Bai Chen argued politely, his eyes reflecting a profound nostalgia. He shifted his posture, looking around the courtyard, a stark contrast to the memories flooding his mind. "I was just reminiscing... do you remember the grand spring banquets at the inner-city estate?"
Bai Qingyue’s eyes softened as she looked down at the zither. "I do."
"Whenever it was announced that the First Miss of the Bai Clan would play, the entire inner city would grind to a halt," Bai Chen recalled, a sad smile touching his lips. "Elders from rival clans, various young masters, and wandering cultivators would crowd the grand pavilions just hoping to catch a single note drifting over the walls. I was just a lowly disciple, sweeping the outer courtyards... but on those nights, I would sneak as close to the main hall as I dared, hiding behind the plum blossom trees, just to listen to you play."
Bai Qingyue felt a pang of sorrow in her chest. Those days felt like a lifetime ago. Back then, she was the untouchable, peerless genius of Azure Cloud City. She was surrounded by fawning admirers, protective elders, and the boundless resources of a major family.
But the moment the Soul Transformation restriction shattered her legs and meridian, that entire world had evaporated. The fawning admirers vanished. The protective elders turned their backs, viewing her as a worthless. She was married off to a debtor in the outer city simply to erase her from the clan’s ledgers.
"The music was beautiful back then," Bai Qingyue murmured, her fingers tracing the intricate carvings of the zither. "But the people listening were only captivated by the power behind it. The moment the power faded, the audience left."
Bai Chen’s fists clenched slightly against his knees, a flash of lingering bitterness toward the main branch of the Bai Clan rising in his chest. But as he looked at his cousin’s serene face, his anger slowly melted away.
She did not look like a woman who had been broken by the world. Her complexion was radiant, a healthy, rosy flush sitting upon her cheeks. Her eyes, which had once been clouded with cold despair and quiet resignation, now sparkled with a profound warmth.
"You look happier now, Cousin," Bai Chen noted, his voice carrying genuine relief. "Even living in this place, isolated from the inner city... you look more at peace than you ever did sitting on the thrones of the clan estate."
Bai Qingyue looked up from the zither, her gaze drifting toward the shimmering dome of the Barrier, and then to the empty space where her husband had last stood.
"That is because I am no longer playing for an audience that only values my utility," she replied softly, a deeply affectionate smile gracing her lips.
Bai Chen followed her gaze, understanding washing over him. The conversation naturally shifted to the man who cast an immense, protective shadow over both their lives.
"Lord Lin..." Bai Chen whispered the name with absolute reverence. "It is still difficult for my mind to grasp. Just a few weeks ago, I heard he effortlessly slay a Core Formation Dao protector and bring the young master of the Xu Clan to his knees. The power he wields, the unfathomable depth of him... it is terrifying. Yet, he treats you with a gentleness that defies the very nature of the cultivation world."
"I am incredibly lucky, Bai Chen," Bai Qingyue confessed, her voice trembling slightly with the weight of her emotions. "When I was first brought to this courtyard, I expected a life of misery. I was a crippled woman, completely defenseless, a burden forced upon a man I did not know."
She looked down at her hands—hands that could no longer summon even a spark of spiritual fire.
"But he did not look at me with pity, nor with resentment," she continued, her eyes glistening. "He accepted me completely. Just as I am now. A mortal. A cripple."
Bai Chen nodded. "With Lord Lin’s terrifying talent, I have no doubt he will successfully break through. He will tear down the heavens themselves if they stand in his way."
Bai Qingyue smiled, gently wiping the tear from her cheek. "I know he will. And until he returns, I will patiently wait right here, playing the zither for the only audience that truly matters."
The serene, emotionally profound atmosphere settled over the courtyard like a warm blanket. For a moment, it felt as though nothing in the Nine Provinces could ever disturb their peace.
But the cultivation world was a cruel, unforgiving place, and karma rarely allowed one to rest for long.
Suddenly, the tranquil silence was violently shattered.
BOOM!
A terrifying, oppressive shockwave of spiritual qi crashed directly against the top of the Barrier. The translucent dome violently rippled, the Rain Blade hovering in the sky letting out a shrill, metallic whine as it was forced to rapidly absorb a massive influx of destruction.
The sheer concussive force of the impact rattled the frame of the house, causing dust to rain down from the ceiling.
Bai Chen instantly leaped to his feet, his 9th level Qi Condensation aura flaring as he summoned his sword, his eyes wide with alarm. Bai Qingyue gasped, instinctively shielding the zither with her body.
Before either of them could process what was attacking the formation, a voice filled with boundless fury, and a lethal killing intent boomed from the sky, echoing directly into their minds like a clap of thunder.
"Lin Yuan! Get out here and answer for your actions against the Xu Clan!"