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CHAPTER 7: "The Arrival"
Back to Before the Villain's Blackening Author: Hua Qi Chapter 7: "The Arrival"
The rustling of insects echoed softly down the shaded path as Qiu Shi and Song Yunhe walked side by side. Following a bend in the narrow trail, the lush, emerald foliage around them drifted in and out of sight through the swirling mists. "Why didn't you tell us any of this sooner?" Song Yunhe asked, looking down at the girl who stood a full head shorter than him. "You didn't even come to see me yourself; you just ordered Lu Jue to surround Dongheng Courtyard right off the bat. What was I supposed to say?" Qiu Shi couldn't possibly explain that bizarre, unfathomable dream, so she could only feign a petulant huff to brush the question aside lightly. When Tang Ru had first come to find her, she hadn't yet experienced that dream, which was why her words and attitude had been so fierce and unyielding. But by the time Song Yunhe approached her, she couldn't be entirely sure if the dream was real or false. She could only follow the flow of the conversation from her memory, and in the end, her premonitions came true, matching up perfectly point by point. "During this purge, there’s no need to save anyone's face regarding the spies uncovered inside or outside my courtyard. Throw them right back to wherever they came from." Qiu Shi kicked a round little pebble beneath her feet, a faint chill creeping into her voice. "Nothing but underhanded, disgraceful antics." Song Yunhe shot her a somewhat surprised sidelong glance, then shook his head with a soft chuckle. "And here I thought you never paid attention to such matters." "I'm not stupid." Qiu Shi looked up, letting out a sharp, quiet scoff. "Their hands have stretched far too long; it's time they were taught a lesson." Song Yunhe paused in his tracks. His warm palm brushed gently against the crown of her head as he smiled with serene warmth. "Not bad. You've truly grown." Although Qiu Shi had been thoroughly pampered by her entire family since childhood, Song Chengshu and Song Yunhe never deliberately hid city affairs from her when handling them. Whatever she ought to know, she knew. This time, the matter of her bringing Cheng Yi back to the Capital to recover from his injuries had rapidly escalated within a mere few days. Exaggerated wildly out of proportion, the rumors had spread through the Capital like the wind, even reaching the ears of Ruan Wan all the way at Mount Liuqi. If there wasn't someone fueling the flames behind the scenes, Qiu Shi would never believe it. In truth, Song Chengshu and the others were perfectly aware of the spies the various clans had continuously planted over the years. The names were written crystal clear on a ledger. It was just that in the past, those people had never done anything out of line, at most gathering trivial gossip to carry back, such as when Song Chengshu entered or emerged from secluded cultivation. Since it was useless information everyone already knew, they had simply turned a blind eye. But this time, not a single one of them would escape. "The Heavenly Tribe simply loves playing these kinds of tricks," Song Yunhe said nonchalantly. Looking out into the distance, his gaze narrowed slightly as Dongheng Courtyard came into view. "Lu Jue mentioned that Cheng Yi has already regained consciousness." "As your brother, I ought to express my gratitude to him for saving your life." After a moment of thought, Qiu Shi placed her left hand over her right wrist and applied a bit of pressure, sliding off the jade bracelet she wore. "What is this for?" Song Yunhe asked, looking at the translucent, vibrantly spiritual bracelet resting in her palm. "Before coming here, I spoke with Wu Fei via communication, and mentioned that I would head to Lin'an City to find them tomorrow," Qiu Shi said, her eyes crinkling into a smile as her tone grew lighter. "If Qin Donglin finds out about this, what do you think he’ll be thinking?" "What will he think?" Seeing her expression, Song Yunhe knew she was analyzing Qin Donglin’s psychology again. From childhood until now, Qiu Shi had always delighted in doing this. Perhaps because they had spent so much time together, she could actually guess seven or eight times out of ten what that unpredictable, foul-tempered man was thinking. Qiu Shi tapped the tip of her nose, breaking it down quite professionally. "He has been ignoring me entirely, refusing to reply even though he saw my messages on the communication jade, yet he keeps the connection open without crushing it. That means he's furious with me." "It would be one thing if I didn't know he had arrived in Lin'an, but I clearly found out through Wu Fei. If I still don't immediately scurry over to explain things and apologize, but instead insist on delaying for a whole day... why is that?" Song Yunhe didn't know whether to laugh or cry, but he played along and hummed, "Why?" "At a time like this, outsiders might assume I'm grounded or held up by other matters, unable to make it over immediately." As they spoke, they arrived at Dongheng Courtyard. Qiu Shi offered a bright smile to Lu Jue, who stood at rigid attention by the gates, calling out a sweet "Brother Lu Jue" before turning back to Song Yunhe. "But Qin Donglin definitely won't think that way. He will only assume I want to use this window of time to do something else." Song Yunhe shook his head. "Like moving and resettling Cheng Yi overnight." Qiu Shi nodded, as if she could already picture the scene, her beautiful, watery eyes curving into two delicate crescent moons. "So, he absolutely will not wait until tomorrow for me to arrange everything and go look for him." Song Yunhe’s eyelids twitched violently, a sudden ache throbbing in his temples. "You mean to say... he will come here today?" "That depends entirely on when he finds out that I contacted Wu Fei." Qiu Shi dangled the jade bracelet, swaying it before Song Yunhe’s eyes. "Just you watch. Once he arrives, the first thing he does won't be looking for me, nor will it be demanding an explanation from you. He will follow the scent of spiritual energy and charge straight for Dongheng Courtyard." She traced her finger through the air. "With his first sword strike, this entire building and the barriers inside will surely be obliterated." "And with his second strike, Cheng Yi's life might not even be spared." "So you want to leave this bracelet with Cheng Yi to block Qin Donglin’s sword?" Song Yunhe asked as he stepped up the stone stairs. "This was a birthday gift from Auntie Ruan; it can withstand a single full-force attack from anyone below the Kunxu Realm." Qiu Shi gently traced the intricate carvings on the bracelet, a pang of reluctance in her heart. "I'm afraid any other defensive spiritual treasures won't hold up." Among the younger generation of the six realms, the opponents who could force Qin Donglin to go all out were few and far between. The last time they had properly witnessed him sparring with someone was three years ago. With his terrifying rate of cultivation growth, who knew what unfathomable height he had reached by now. Song Yunhe offered, "There is no need to go that far. Your brother will keep watch for you here today. The moment he arrives, I will call you over. How about that?" The hem of Qiu Shi’s skirt swept softly across the stone steps as she shook her head. "It's no use. If we don't let him vent that rage completely, he won't listen to a single word." Even someone as unshakeable and calm as Song Yunhe found himself momentarily at a loss for words. By then, they had already reached the deep eaves of the building. The doors before them were tightly shut, and the windows were cracked open only a fraction, allowing a dense, rich aroma of medicinal herbs and spiritual ingredients to waft over them. Compared to his aggressive, unyielding stance during his last visit, Song Yunhe appeared exceptionally refined, courteous, and polite this time. So much so that when Qingfeng welcomed them inside, the expression on his face was entirely dazed. The Black Dragon Clan naturally possessed incredibly resilient physiques. After several days of bedrest and nursing, Cheng Yi was already able to leave his bed to sit for a while or take short walks around the room. When Qiu Shi and Song Yunhe entered, he had just finished having his dressings changed and was seated on a round chair by the table. His face remained pale and wan, yet his entire aura carried the pure, untainted crispness of freshly fallen snow. "Young Master, this is the Young Lord of the Lyre Sea Capital," Qingfeng quickly recovered his wits and introduced him to Cheng Yi. Cheng Yi had seen Qiu Shi before. During the brief, intermittent moments he had drifted into consciousness over the past fortnight, he would often see her lingering in the room, either ordering servants to move precious ornaments from her own chambers or having them deliver the finest healing medicines. She had saved his life and cared for him so meticulously; she truly was a kind-hearted, gentle girl. As for the Young Lord of the Lyre Sea Capital, Song Yunhe, he had heard of his reputation long ago. People like Song Yunhe, who were bestowed with the title of Young Lord from the moment of their birth, possessed flawlessly pure bloodlines and inexhaustible resources. They were the peak prodigies standing at the very pinnacle of the Demon race's younger generation. To Cheng Yi, such a figure was a massive mountain weighing down upon his chest, but also the very drive that pushed him to grit his teeth and climb upward. "Cheng Yi greets Young Lord Yunhe," Cheng Yi spoke with a calm, balanced composure, cupping his fists respectfully toward Song Yunhe. Qingfeng had personally witnessed how Song Yunhe’s face had been dark with fury just days ago when he ordered the Flying Fish Guards to blockade Dongheng Courtyard, so his entire body had been tense from the moment the Young Lord entered. Yet, to his absolute surprise, Song Yunhe did not make things difficult for his young master at all. Instead, he returned the courtesy with a gentle, polite bow. "Brother Cheng Yi is too kind. Yunhe has come today on behalf of my sister to express our gratitude." Once the full story of the past was laid out, the tension between Cheng Yi's brows smoothed away. He offered a soft smile to Qiu Shi and let out a gentle sigh of emotion. "Who could have foretold that a trivial deed performed on a whim in the past could return to save my life today?" He possessed clean, refined features and brilliant teeth against crimson lips; his smile felt like a refreshing spring breeze. After listening patiently to everything Qiu Shi had to say, he lightly held the jade bracelet in his hand, the faint smile still lingering on his lips. "Since this misunderstanding arose because of me, it is only right that I explain everything clearly. Please rest assured, Young Lord and Lady." Such refined conduct and grace caused even Song Yunhe, who was deeply adept at reading people and discerning the finest details, to offer a quiet word of praise as they stepped past the gates of Dongheng Courtyard: "With such bearing and eloquence, he truly does not seem like someone raised within the Black Dragon Clan." That night, beneath a bright and luminous moon, Qiu Shi carried the *Demonic Moon Lyre Scripture* into the secret chamber. The *Demonic Moon Lyre Scripture* was a supreme musical cultivation methodology of the Demon race, ranked among the top ten Heaven-tier secret arts across the six realms. Yet, unlike other ancient techniques that boasted continuous lineages of successors, this particular scroll had practically vanished from the world for nearly a hundred thousand years. It wasn't because a Heaven-tier secret art was beyond the comprehension of ordinary men, or because its practitioners lacked talent; it was simply because it had to be cultivated in perfect tandem with the Demon race's sacred relic: the Demonic Moon Lyre. And the Demonic Moon Lyre had refused to recognize a master for nearly a hundred thousand years. Sacred relics possessed their own spiritual wills; if it refused to choose a master, no one could force its hand. Qiu Shi could be considered half a blessed favorite of destiny. On the day she was born, a brilliant crimson sunset had blanketed the entire sky, and the deep, resonant ring of a lyre had echoed from the ancient pavilion. The ancient instrument, silent for countless ages, had given a faint, subtle resonance. Qiu Shi was the only living being in the current era capable of making contact with the lyre's spiritual entity. Why was she considered only half a favorite, then? Because the Demonic Moon Lyre had still never officially recognized her as its master. And as her age and cultivation progressed, Qiu Shi had arrived at a critical fork in the road. Other prodigies of her caliber had long since chosen Heaven-tier secret arts within their respective clans. For instance, her brother Song Yunhe had begun practicing the Heaven-tier art known as the *Shattering Halberd Technique* ten thousand years ago, and his mastery had already reached an incredibly profound level. Now, there were only two paths left open before Qiu Shi. She could either persist along the path of a musical cultivator; but if the Demonic Moon Lyre never bound itself to her, she would eventually be forced to switch to high-grade Earth-tier methods, causing the gap between her and her peers to widen over time. Or, she could abandon everything she had ever learned, convert her spiritual energy, and begin cultivating a different Heaven-tier secret technique. Inside the quiet confines of the secret chamber, Qiu Shi looked up at the *Demonic Moon Lyre Scripture* hovering in mid-air and couldn't help but wonder: in that dream of hers, what path had she ultimately chosen? She must have abandoned this one to walk another path, but it certainly couldn't have been smooth sailing. She had abandoned her family, which meant the Heaven-tier techniques of her clan would no longer be hers to choose. Meanwhile, the Demonic Moon Lyre would still be resting silently within the ancient pavilion. And without the lyre, the *Demonic Moon Lyre Scripture* was no different from a useless scrap of paper. After letting her thoughts wander wildly for a long time, Qiu Shi cast away her stray distractions. She sat cross-legged, sinking her consciousness into the profound spiritual intent described within the scripture. Late into the night, a sudden, violent gale whipped through the sky. A sharp, terrifyingly lethal surge of sword intent erupted, sharp enough to tear the heavens asunder. Carrying an unparalleled, unstoppable will of absolute devastation, it tore through the air, hurtling directly toward the southwestern corner of the Capital's center. That was the exact location of Dongheng Courtyard. Inside the secret chamber, Qiu Shi’s long eyelashes fluttered slightly, and she opened her eyes. Qin Donglin had arrived.
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