Chapter 16 - The Red Jade Stirs
A sword master releasing their sword—there had indeed been precedents for this before.
But Luo Hongyu could never have imagined Gu Jing's reason for wanting to release her sword... unless it was again because of Luo He.
Just as Luo Hongyu was about to speak and question, a scalding hot sensation suddenly came from her waist...
"Hiss..."
"Young Master?"
The red jade at Luo Hongyu's waist was seen to suddenly flash with a dazzling red light; the entire piece of jade instantly became incomparably scorching hot.
But that burning heat only lasted for an instant. Luo Hongyu took it off and placed it in her palm; the red jade, which usually flowed like blood on ordinary days, now had its luster dimmed somewhat.
This red jade—her father had instructed her since her birth that she must wear it at all times and absolutely must not misplace it. In the past several decades, she had indeed always done so.
But a situation like this, it was also the first time she had seen it.
However, Gu Jing, upon seeing this scene, her pupils contracted, and her face instantly paled somewhat.
She hurriedly came closer, held Luo Hongyu's hand, and looked at the red jade in her hand with trembling pupils.
"The jade... Young Master, what happened to your jade!"
"It suddenly became very hot just now, and now it seems to have dimmed somewhat... Senior Sister Gu, you..."
"...Luo He..."
Hearing Gu Jing utter his name, Luo Hongyu felt an inexplicable palpitation in her heart. She suppressed that strange emotion in her heart and hurriedly asked:
"Senior Sister Gu, why did you mention Luo He? Does my red jade have a connection to him?"
"......"
However, at this moment, Gu Jing did not answer Luo Hongyu's question.
She looked to the side absently, muttering something under her breath.
As one of the people who had personally brought Luo He back to the Tianchen Sword Sect back then, how could Gu Jing not know what this jade truly was?
It represented the collar around Luo He's neck; it represented Luo He's seized Life Gate.
It maintained the stable operation of Luo He's gouged-out spiritual soul within Luo Hongyu's body; it was the most important chain that connected and bound Luo Hongyu and Luo He together.
But now, that chain seemed to have encountered some problems.
Luo Hongyu here had not been noticeably affected. Then the problem could only be on Luo He's side. The red jade dimming indicated that although Luo He wasn't dead yet, he must have fallen into an extremely passive state.
What on earth...
Thinking of the unknown danger Luo He was currently facing, Gu Jing felt a pain in her chest, her heart wrung with anguish.
Truly laughable. Clearly, she herself was the one who had thrown Luo He into a dead end, yet now she was worrying about his safety.
Was she truly concerned about Luo He, or about Luo He being able to fulfill his bound duty?
Gu Jing couldn't distinguish these things clearly, nor was she bothered to. The reason she wanted to resign from the position of one of the Tianchen Seven Swords to Luo Hongyu was because she had given up on seeing herself clearly. She knew she would carry this scar for the rest of her life; it was what she deserved.
But at least for now, Gu Jing only had one thought, and that was that she didn't want to let anyone, to let Luo He, endure any more pointless suffering.
"...Young Master need not worry too much. For tomorrow's Immortal Ascension Trial, you should proceed as usual. Gu Jing will bring Luo He back safely."
"Wait! Senior Sister Gu... What exactly is the connection between my red jade and Luo He!"
"......"
She also understood, whether it was this jade or the truth about Luo He... everything could not be hidden. After Luo Hongyu's Heavenly Tribulation, everything would become clear to her.
Gu Jing's thin lips pressed together.
"Soon, without Gu Jing, you will also understand all this... Young Master, for now, you just need to wait."
"Whether for you, for me, or for the Old Sect Master, and the Tianchen Sword Sect... it is the best arrangement."
"Young Master, Gu Jing needs to know now... before Gu Jing came, was there anything unusual on Luo He's side?"
"......"
Luo Hongyu's expression calmed down. Although she sensed a somewhat unusual meaning, she also knew that now was not a good time to get to the bottom of things.
Her father was afflicted by a chronic illness, and the Tianchen Seven Swords were also not complete. This Immortal Ascension Assembly, or rather, her breakthrough to the Nascent Soul stage, was of utmost importance to her family and the Tianchen Sword Sect.
"A few days ago, Su Huanhuan found Luo He and repeatedly showed her interest in Luo He, wanting him to leave my side."
"Su Huanhuan..."
Gu Jing murmured softly.
That disciple of the Remnant Moon Sect...
Recalling further the situation Luo He encountered at the Immortal Ascension Trial yesterday.
Demonic Gates, Ghost Sword Shen Huai, taking Luo He away would undoubtedly weaken the strength around Luo Hongyu...
A vague plan of the Demonic Gates colluding to assassinate Luo Hongyu took shape in Gu Jing's mind.
Although Gu Jing said nothing, the Autumn Maiden Sword, which no longer revered her as its master, suddenly let out a long hum, responding to her current emotions.
When she raised her head again, the dignity and gentleness on her face were completely gone.
"Gu Jing will take her leave first. Young Master, please rest early."
...
"Young Lady seems to be in a good mood?"
"You're quite perceptive."
"Hehe..."
The maidservant looked at Su Huanhuan, who was perfectly fiddling with the half-eaten fox-mask sugar painting in her hand, bent over, and gave a couple of sheepish laughs.
Back then, when she had disguised herself in her appearance and come down, she had almost startled this little maidservant. Luckily, she (the actual maidservant) hadn't had time to say anything to that strangely dressed masked person…
As a registered handyman disciple who didn't even know where the main sect of the Remnant Moon Sect was located, this maidservant profoundly understood how important the person before her was to her demonic cultivation future.
So, compared to that incomplete Remnant Moon cultivation method, she first learned to observe words and expressions.
Putting away the sugar painting, Su Huanhuan wore a cold smile that warned strangers to keep away. She lightly touched her toes to the ground, pulled out a chair, and sat down.
Today, that stupid fox seemed to have changed his temperament, actually agreeing so readily that she didn't even react for a moment.
Hmph, that figures. If this young lady hadn't kindly intervened, how could he have encountered such a good thing... Anyway, not only was the old favor repaid, he even incurred a new one.
Killing two birds with one stone, ah, killing two birds with one stone.
The demonic nature from cultivating the Remnant Moon heart method would still require her intervention to help Luo He conceal it.
In the future, ah, that stupid fox will be the one surrounding her, whimpering cutely, and she would be sitting firmly like Mount Tai.
Su Huanhuan couldn't help but think delightedly.
She was a petty woman; if she said she wanted to keep Luo He by her side and raise him as a ghost, then she had to do it...
"Go open the formation."
Su Huanhuan's eyes suddenly flickered; the expression on her face abruptly vanished, becoming indifferent.
"Yes... Young Lady, what's wrong...?"
"A rare guest has arrived."
Su Huanhuan replied nonchalantly, while gazing at the teahouse entrance.
After a short while, the main door was blasted open by a wave of spiritual pressure.
Gu Jing stood in the night. Dressed in black and white sword attire, she seemed to be cloaked in moonlight as she walked in.
The sword light from the Autumn Maiden Sword in her hand was intimidating.
"Oh my, isn't this the esteemed Autumn Maiden Sword of the Tianchen Seven Swords? How is it that you have the interest tonight to come to my place for tea?"
"Where is Luo He?"
It was still Su Huanhuan's first time directly facing such undisguised pressure from one of the world's top sword experts, Gu Jing of the Tianchen Seven Swords.
But she, on the contrary, gave a cool smile towards that gale of sword qi:
"Esteemed Autumn Maiden Sword, your question is quite unreasonable. The person your family lost, why ask an unremarkable junior like me about it?"
While she was dealing with her, she observed the person before her.
At this moment, Gu Jing had none of the "Autumn Maiden Without Embellishment's" mellow reserve; at a glance, all that could be seen was chilling killing intent directed at her and a faint trace of hysteria.
Truly strange. In the past, when Luo He disappeared for a few days, their people weren't this anxious... Now, for them to come barging to her door, there must definitely be some situation.
And looking at the state of this esteemed Autumn Maiden Sword, who had been famous for a long time and had served the Tianchen Sword Sect since her early years...
A dangerous smile spread across Su Huanhuan's lips.
She felt she might have guessed some interesting things.