Chapter 016: The Woman Seated on the Sheep's Back

When Song Ye jokingly addressed her as “Master Zhang,” Zhang Zixuan hurriedly shook her head and said, “Tea stall owner, please don’t call me ‘Master Zhang.’ That’s no joking matter. Claiming the title of a cultivator master without merit is a serious offense. In our world of cultivation, only those who have passed the trials and moral evaluations may be addressed as such.” She added, “And for the record, I’m not sneaking off on an adventure. I’ve come down the mountain on my master’s orders to procure supplies!”

Song Ye grinned. “Understood, Master Zhang, got it, Master Zhang!”

Zhang Zixuan pouted in exasperation. “There you go again!”

But suddenly she dropped her gaze, muttering to herself, “No, I mustn’t get riled up over a mortal like the tea stall owner. Master always said that we cultivators must remain untouched by worldly dust, uninvolved in mundane affairs, and untainted by mortal emotions!”

After this round of self-persuasion, she lifted her head again, her face once more bright and cheerful. “By the way, tea stall owner, everyone in the village has left. Why are you still here alone?” she asked, deftly changing the subject. “My master told me that the Yan army has already taken Frost City, and that’s not far from here. Why haven’t you left yet? If you stay any longer, it may be too late!”

Seeing that Song Ye had not yet left, she seemed even more anxious than he was. After all, within a hundred miles there was scarcely a soul left; only cultivators of some power dared venture here, while common folk had long since fled. Moreover, Zhang Zixuan could not detect the slightest trace of cultivation in Song Ye, so she naturally took him for an ordinary country villager.

With a tone as if he had seen through the ways of the world, Song Ye replied, “I will not leave. If I must die, I’ll die right here.”

In all innocence, Zhang Zixuan said, “If you truly can’t bear to leave, you must at least hide yourself well. When the Yan soldiers arrive, whatever you do, don’t let them find you!”

“I hear you, Master Zhang. You’d best hurry back to Xuanqing Palace. If you’re late, you’ll get a scolding!” said Song Ye.

Zhang Zixuan glanced up at the sky. “You’re right, I should be on my way. Farewell, tea stall owner!”

With that, she took to the air, riding the wind away.

Not long after Zhang Zixuan departed, the allotted time for the “Village Guard” task expired. Song Ye rose, picked up his stool, and prepared to return to the tea stall.

Just then, a figure appeared in the distance. At first only a blur, she gradually came into focus—a woman in a white dress, riding upon the back of a black ram.

The black ram was a magnificent beast, clad in black armor with long, sharp fangs protruding from its mouth. Yet it was the woman astride it who astonished Song Ye—Qin Xiyi!

After half a year apart, she had finally returned!

Never had Song Ye imagined that one day Qin Xiyi would appear before him in a gown as white as snow, riding atop a black ram. To be precise, he had never dared dream that Qin Xiyi would ever return for him at all. As Constable Zhao had once told him, unless he was dreaming, he would never see her again.

So what he now saw was like a vision from a dream.

Qin Xuanxi was like a fairy in white, the kind who could only exist in dreams. She sat side-saddle upon the ram, her slender waist swaying lightly, the slit in her dress revealing skin white as snow. She rode up to Song Ye, and when she saw the stupefied look on his face, she giggled, “My little husband, it’s been so long. Did you miss me?”

That familiar address—“little husband”—brought Song Ye back to himself. He answered at once, “Yes, I did!”

What man would not long for a woman as beautiful as Qin Xuanxi? He was only speaking the truth.

Qin Xuanxi smiled, dismounted, and handed the lead rope to Song Ye. “My little husband, take this ram home.”

“Alright!”

Song Ye led the ram ahead, Qin Xuanxi following close behind. From time to time, Song Ye would glance back at her, as if afraid she might vanish again. Qin Xuanxi laughed, “Stop looking at me like that. I won’t be leaving again anytime soon.”

Song Ye replied with a smile, “It’s my first time seeing you in a white dress. I can’t help but look a little longer.”

Without her usual dark Nine Nether Skirt, she seemed far less imposing, and the sense of awe she inspired was softened. Still, what left the deepest impression on Song Ye was the image of her half a year ago, standing before him as bare as the day she was born. That was a sight not easily forgotten.

The tea stall was not far from the village entrance, yet their walk seemed to stretch on forever. Looking at the empty village, Qin Xuanxi asked, “Has everyone left? Are you the only one remaining?”

“Yes, I’m the only one left,” Song Ye replied.

In truth, Qin Xuanxi already knew this. Before appearing within Song Ye’s line of sight, she had hovered above the village, surveying it thoroughly from the air.

Only after seeing it with her own eyes did she believe that he had truly stayed behind, alone, waiting for her. Was this what mortals called “devotion”?

In any case, this sort of devotion was beyond Qin Xuanxi’s comprehension, nor did she wish to understand it.

She wanted to appear before Song Ye as “Qin Xiyi,” which is why she had removed her Violet Fiend mask and exchanged her Nine Nether Skirt for a simple white dress.

“Aren’t you afraid to die at the hands of the Yan soldiers, staying here all alone?” Qin Xuanxi asked Song Ye.

“No,” Song Ye replied calmly.

Qin Xuanxi smiled faintly, thinking to herself, What mortal is truly unafraid of death?

“But everyone else has gone. Why did you insist on staying?” she pressed, as if she wanted to hear him say, “I stayed to wait for you.”

But Song Ye said nothing, lapsing into a long silence. After all, it was not something he could reasonably explain to anyone in this world.

When Qin Xuanxi saw his reticence, she took it as shyness. She thought, Never mind, I won’t force him. Whatever reason compelled him to remain in the empty village, it was none of her concern. Even if he had truly stayed to wait for her, it still had nothing to do with her, for the woman he waited for was Qin Xiyi, while she was Qin Xuanxi, the Demon Sovereign of Xuanyuan.

At the tea stall, Song Ye led the black ram into the courtyard, then came back out and said to Qin Xuanxi, “Let me pour you some tea.”

“Thank you, little husband.” Qin Xuanxi smiled and found an empty table.

Song Ye brought over two bowls and a teapot, filled one for her and one for himself, then sat down opposite her.

Qin Xuanxi lifted her bowl and took a delicate sip, then said, “That black ram’s meat is delicious. Butcher it, and you’ll have enough to eat for a long while.”

The way she spoke, Song Ye felt as though a mother who worked far from home had returned to visit her “left-behind child.”

And her words implied another truth: she would not be staying with him for long.