Chapter Eighty-Two Truly a Wonderful Place

As dusk settled, Liyue and Yinrou emerged from the manor, smiles bright on their faces. They found the hidden path and made their way up to the Cold Spirit Valley above the estate. They had already informed Yinyao that today, they would return with the Death Lotus and hoped she would wait for them in the valley.

Upon the cliff, Yinrou spotted a faint golden glow from the small bamboo house nestled in the valley below. That gentle light told them Yinyao was indeed waiting. Sharing a knowing smile, both soared down into the valley.

Sensing their presence long before they arrived, Yinyao stepped out of the house and waited for them in a bamboo pavilion. As soon as they saw her figure, Liyue and Yinrou hurried forward. “Master!”

“You’ve worked hard,” Yinyao greeted, her gaze playful as she looked at the young couple.

Liyue produced an ancient-looking box from his sleeve and handed it to Yinyao. She understood at once—inside was the very Death Lotus that Ji Muyu had sought so long and failed to locate.

Accepting the box, Yinyao gestured for them to sit. “Uncle Li didn’t give you any trouble, did he?” As she spoke, she poured sweet spring water for the two of them.

Liyue downed it in one gulp, but Yinrou only held hers, a faint blush rising to her cheeks. “Uncle Li didn’t make things hard for us. Once he heard why we came, he agreed readily and sent someone to fetch the Death Lotus right away. It’s just that…” She paused, her face flushing deeper as her gaze drifted to Liyue.

Feeling her eyes on him, Liyue’s face reddened as well. Yinyao watched their little exchange, her heart amused. She decided to tease them.

“Oh my, what’s wrong with you two? Why are you both blushing like that? Don’t tell me… Uncle Li was urging you to get married? Ha!” Yinyao’s laughter was entirely unrestrained.

Unfortunately, both Yinrou and Liyue were easily embarrassed, and her teasing only deepened their blushes. Yinrou ducked her head in mortification. Seeing her distress and Yinyao’s mischievous grin, Liyue tried to protest, “Master, please don’t tease us.”

It was rare for Liyue to speak up so protectively, and Yinyao heard it loud and clear, eyeing him meaningfully until he grew even more flustered.

“All right, I’ll stop,” Yinyao relented at last. “You two should spend the night in the bamboo house. Head back to Liyin Sect at dawn. For quite some time ahead, you’ll both be in charge there. Don’t let me down!”

“In charge? What about you and… and my brother?” Liyue hesitated, finally admitting in front of Yinyao and Yinrou that Lisu was, in fact, his brother.

Yinrou asked directly, “Is it because of the plan?”

Yinyao nodded, not concealing anything. “Lisu has already left. He and Gu Xinyu are working together to mislead Ji Muyu in the open, while I have my own matters to attend to. While you’re in charge, Lingyu Pavilion will also have a temporary new master—she’s called Nameless. Her true identity, which I can tell you now, is also Yin Su. I want you to be especially careful in your dealings with her.”

Liyue and Yinrou nodded at once. So Nameless was actually Yin Su, Ji Muyu’s powerful lieutenant. It was the first time they’d realized this; she had hidden herself so well that neither Chusu Yi nor Gu Xinyu hesitated to entrust her with temporary control.

Seeing their comprehension, Yinyao added a stern reminder, “You know how important this is. There must be no mistakes.”

“Yes, Master.”

“Go on, get some rest.”

The three rose and left the pavilion. Yinyao led them toward the living quarters, when suddenly a sound as faint as a mosquito’s buzz reached their ears. All three were highly alert; Liyue and Yinrou, unaware of a fourth person’s presence, instantly halted and strained to locate the source.

Seeing their tension, Yinyao patted their shoulders and smiled. “Don’t worry. There’s someone else here—a friend. He had a bit of an accident and is resting. That noise just now was from him.”

Her reassurance put their minds at ease, and when they reached the bedrooms, they took their leave. Yinyao, unable to resist a final tease, called after them with a sly smile, “Rest well tonight~”

The true instigator swiftly made her escape, leaving the blushing pair frozen in place—Yinyao’s laughter still echoing from not far away.

Back in her own room, Chusu Yi was stirring, almost awake. Yinyao wasn’t in a hurry; she poured herself a cup of water and sat at the table, propping her chin in thought.

“Water.”

A weak voice interrupted her reverie. Yinyao hurried over with a cup, carefully helping Chusu Yi drink—forgetting entirely that it was the very cup she’d just used herself.

That night, Chusu Yi slept soundly and uttered no further words. Yinyao simply rested her head on the table and slept till dawn.

The next morning, Chusu Yi slowly opened his eyes to an unfamiliar room, though it felt inexplicably comfortable—warm, even. Turning his head, he saw Yinyao asleep at the table and realized he was lying in the bed. Embarrassed, he hurriedly got up, and the movement woke Yinyao, who was always a light sleeper.

“You’re awake.”

“And so are you. Did something happen last night? Why were you at the table, and I in your bed?” He glanced around uncertainly.

Yinyao, with no intention to hide the truth, smiled and nodded. “You had a severe headache last night and fainted. I helped you back here to rest.”

“Did I say anything strange?” Chusu Yi had a feeling he might have.

“You don’t remember? Nothing much—just some odd ramblings.” Yinyao decided not to tell him exactly what he’d said, sighing to herself: One night’s sleep, and it’s all forgotten.

Relieved, Chusu Yi nodded. He was afraid he’d spoken out of turn. Shaking his head to clear the last traces of pain, he suddenly remembered, “Didn’t you come for the Death Lotus? Did you get it?”

Yinyao produced the ancient box and waved it in front of him. “Of course. The two who brought it are resting, but they should be up soon. Let’s wait for them in the pavilion outside.”

He had no objections. Once dressed, he followed Yinyao out. Liyue and Yinrou were just approaching, and at once recognized the master of Lingyu Pavilion, Chusu Yi. They realized now that he was the friend Yinyao had mentioned.

“Greetings,” Chusu Yi spoke first, his tone friendly.

“Master Chu,” Liyue and Yinrou responded with polite bows, the customary greeting among those of the martial world.

Yinyao cut through the formalities. “Enough with the pleasantries. We all have our own tasks ahead. Time to part ways. Remember what I’ve instructed you.”

“Yes, Master. We’ll take our leave.” With that, Liyue and Yinrou departed, Yinyao and Chusu Yi watching them go.

Chusu Yi made no move, clearly awaiting Yinyao’s instructions. She did not disappoint. “Come, it’s time to let him know where the Death Lotus is. This is our last stop before the final battle—I will not lose.”

Her confidence brought an answering smile to Chusu Yi’s lips. “Yes, let’s go down the mountain. We’ll need a few people to help spread the news discreetly.”

“Don’t worry, it’s all arranged. Liyue and Yinrou will have people gather at a designated place once they return. All we have to do is head there,” Yinyao assured him with a wave. After so much planning, there was no way she would leave anything to chance.

“You’re meticulous as ever.” Chusu Yi shook his head with a smile, genuinely admiring her thoroughness—not everyone could plan so comprehensively.

Descending the mountain, they entered a bustling little inn packed with people. Yinyao led Chusu Yi inside, cautioning him to keep a low profile—the inn was no ordinary place, but a hub of martial world gossip and intelligence.

Taking a seat, Yinyao casually tapped her chopsticks three times—twice hard, once light. As she finished, several gazes flickered subtly her way.

The server, waving his towel, approached Yinyao with practiced enthusiasm. “What would you like, honored guest?”

She swept her hand quickly over the rim of her cup, replying, “A pot of your best wine, and a few good dishes.” All the while, her right hand traced secret marks on the tabletop.

The server caught the message and called out, “Right away, just wait a moment!”

Chusu Yi didn’t miss the exchange. He noticed the server’s knowing look after seeing Yinyao’s writing—was this the one responsible for spreading the news?

He was right. The server continued bustling about as usual, but if one looked closely, he could be seen whispering quietly to certain guests.

Surveying the inn’s motley crowd, Chusu Yi understood Yinyao’s reasoning: only from such a place would a rumor gain credence. The ones being discreetly notified were the very people Liyue and Yinrou had arranged.

A clever scheme.

Chusu Yi tried to read the server’s lips, hoping to catch the location Yinyao had given. Noticing his curiosity, Yinyao called his attention to the tabletop.

She silently wrote a few words. Chusu Yi read them, then smiled in understanding.

It truly was the perfect place.