Chapter 10: Morning in the Jade Carriage

                                

Hua Xiangwan slept deeply, so deeply that when she finally woke, the sun was already high above the clouds.

She stretched lazily, stifling a yawn—only to freeze mid-motion. This wasn’t the guest room from last night. The silk curtains, the faint scent of sandalwood, and the rhythmic creak beneath her—this was her own jade carriage.

Across from her sat Lingnan, carefully peeling a pear.

The moment he saw her stir, he dropped the fruit, hurriedly half-kneeling before her, eyes gleaming with curiosity.
“Young Master, how was last night? How did Xie Daojun feel?”

Hua Xiangwan’s yawn died in her throat. She raised her hand and smacked Lingnan on the forehead.
“What nonsense are you spouting? Nothing happened between me and Xie Wushuang!”

“Ah?”

Lingnan blinked in disbelief, disappointment plain on his face. He handed over a cup of tea and mumbled, “But we all saw him in your room… He even covered you so carefully. How could nothing—”

“You still have the nerve to mention it?!”

Hua Xiangwan’s eyes widened as she took the tea. “He came to interrogate me! I accidentally entered the wrong dream last night and ended up in Xie Daojun’s. His will is like iron—he drove me out! If he hadn’t decided to spare me, I’d already be dead!”

Lingnan gaped. “That’s impossible. He didn’t seem like someone who wanted to kill you.”

“What do you know?” Hua Xiangwan jabbed a finger at her delicate neck. “His sword was right here! I was this close to being sliced in half!”

Lingnan frowned. “He’s a man of pure Dao, untouched by worldly desires. Why would he charge out of a dream just to kill you?”

“Because—” Hua Xiangwan choked, heat rising to her cheeks. “Because he thought I… insulted his innocence.”

“You what?!”

Lingnan practically jumped. Hua Xiangwan hastily explained, “Not like that! I didn’t mean to. I entered his dream—it wasn’t intentional. I didn’t… do anything.”

Well… aside from that one kiss.

But that, Hua Xiangwan decided, was a secret she’d take to the grave.

Lingnan sighed dramatically and sat back down, looking crestfallen. “That’s a shame. The atmosphere last night seemed so promising.”

Hua Xiangwan shot her a sidelong look but couldn’t help smirking as she recalled their chaotic escape. “Promising? Hardly. Xie Daojun loathes me now, and Shen Daojun sees me as a venomous woman who’s tried and failed to murder him countless times. I doubt I’ll get another chance.”

“This…” Lingnan wrung her hands. “Then what should we do?”

“Take things as they come.” Hua Xiangwan said with practiced calm. She sipped her tea, then lifted the curtain.

Outside, the wind swept through the official road. Cultivators rode spirit horses and beasts, their robes billowing as they sped along. Though sword-flight was faster, few dared to waste precious spiritual energy on long journeys.

She frowned slightly. “Where are we now?”

“The Heavenly Sword Sect’s disciples took us away early this morning,” Lingnan replied, worry still clouding her face. “They didn’t say where, but I think we’re heading back to the Sect.”

“Then how did I end up here?”

“You were fast asleep,” Lingnan said helplessly. “No matter how I called, you wouldn’t wake. I had to carry you up myself.”

Hua Xiangwan sighed. “Figures.” She looked around. “Is there anything to eat?”

“Just a few snacks—”

Before Lingnan could finish, a knock sounded against the carriage. Hua Xiangwan turned, lifting the curtain slightly.

Jiang Yiran rode alongside, his expression bright. “Young Master Hua, you’re awake. Are you hungry?”

Hua Xiangwan blinked, startled. She hadn’t expected a disciple of the Heavenly Sword Sect to ask such a mundane question.

Her golden core was sealed; without spiritual energy, she was little different from a mortal. Unless she took fasting pills, she still needed to eat. She’d assumed only her own sect would care about such trivialities—yet Jiang Yiran had asked.

Warmth stirred faintly in her chest. “No problem,” she said with a soft smile. “I’ll just have a snack.”

“No need,” Jiang Yiran grinned. He raised a lacquered food box. “Senior Brother Shen bought some food for you. He flew down himself, and it’s still warm. Stop the carriage—I’ll bring it up.”

“Shen Xiuwen?”

Hua Xiangwan blinked, genuinely surprised. After everything that had happened with the Dream Seal, she hadn’t expected him to still show such care.

Lingnan, oblivious to the tension, immediately halted the spirit beast. “Food! Bring it here!”

Jiang Yiran passed the food box through the window. “Senior Brother said he wasn’t sure of your taste, so he bought sweet, salty, and spicy dishes. If you prefer anything, tell him next time—he’ll get it for you.”

Lingnan’s eyes lit up. “Our Young Master loves meat! And spicy food! Oh—and especially coriander!”

“Lingnan—” Hua Xiangwan glared sharply. Lingnan instantly wilted, lowering her head and setting the dishes obediently.

Turning back to Jiang Yiran, Hua Xiangwan composed herself. “Thank you, Daojun. Please thank Daojun Shen on my behalf as well. Tell him not to trouble himself. A fasting pill would suffice.”

“It’s fine,” Jiang Yiran said quickly, but Hua Xiangwan continued after a pause, voice softening.

“Also… tell him I’m sorry for what happened before. It won’t happen again.”

Jiang Yiran blinked, confused, sensing more behind her words but not daring to pry. “Understood. Rest well, Young Master—I’ll deliver your message.”

With that, he turned his sword and flew off.

Hua Xiangwan lowered the curtain, turning toward Lingnan—who was staring at her, eyes wide as saucers.

“What are you gawking at?” Hua Xiangwan snapped. “There’s none for you.”

“There’s so much…” Lingnan protested pitifully. “You don’t even like spicy food or coriander. I can… help you.”

“You keep spouting nonsense.” Hua Xiangwan gave her a gentle shove. “If I see coriander tomorrow, you’ll starve for the rest of the year.”

“Ah—Young Master…” Lingnan whined, reaching for her hand.

“Enough,” Hua Xiangwan said, pushing her away with mock disdain. “Let’s eat.”

The two of them ate the food brought by Shen Xiuwen. Jiang Yiran then went back and relayed the entire conversation to him in detail.

Shen Xiuwen listened carefully and asked again, “So she likes meat, spicy food, and cilantro?”

“Yes,” Jiang Yiran nodded seriously. “Give her more cilantro next time—she’ll definitely be happy!”

Shen Xiuwen nodded thoughtfully.

“Oh, and Young Master Hua asked me to tell you she’s sorry for what happened earlier,” Jiang Yiran added. “She said she won’t do it again.”

Shen Xiuwen froze for a moment. Jiang Yiran blinked curiously. “Brother, what happened earlier?”

“Oh, nothing.” Shen Xiuwen quickly regained his composure, smiling softly. “Just a small misunderstanding. I need to speak with Senior Brother Xie. Go take care of the other disciples.”

“Alright.” Jiang Yiran nodded and left.

Shen Xiuwen paused briefly, smiled to himself, and turned back to find Xie Changji, who was leading the group.

After lunch, Lingnan packed up the food box. Hua Xiangwan finished her sweets, and as she stepped out of the carriage, she saw Jiang Yiran waiting nearby.

“Right Envoy Ling,” Jiang Yiran said cheerfully, “I’ll help you clean up.”

Before Lingnan could respond, Jiang Yiran snatched the food box and ran off with it.

Soon after, the food box appeared in Xie Changji’s hands.

He looked inside—empty.

He frowned slightly. He ate meat, spicy food, and cilantro—all things he disliked. And yet, he had finished everything.

Was it true… or just a deliberate lie?

After dinner, Hua Xiangwan lay on her bed reading a storybook for a while. Bored, she noticed that the Tianjian Sect still showed no signs of resting, so she sat up and began meditating.

Time slipped by quickly. When she opened her eyes again, it was already night. Lingnan rested beside her, dozing lightly. She lifted the curtain and peeked outside. Seeing how late it was, a frown creased her brow.

Why was the Tianjian Sect even more restless than they were? Why were they rushing so quickly? What had happened?

“Lingbei,” Hua Xiangwan called softly. Lingbei rode forward to her window.

“Why haven’t you rested yet? And why is the Tianjian Sect in such a hurry?” she asked.

“Young Master,” Lingbei said warily, “someone’s following us. It might be people from the Western Territory.”

“Mingluan Palace?” Hua Xiangwan asked, recalling the only group she’d encountered from the West.

Lingbei shook his head. “Maybe more than that. I saw the Yin-Yang Sect’s undead birds along the road.”

Hua Xiangwan’s eyes widened in surprise. She could understand Mingluan Palace trying to stop her—their target had always been the Hehuan Palace. Sending Qin Yunshang was bold but not unexpected.

But the Yin-Yang Sect—one of the Nine Great Sects—what were they doing meddling in this?

As the two spoke, the carriage suddenly halted.

Lingbei and Hua Xiangwan exchanged a glance before Jiang Yiran’s voice called out, “Young Master, there’s a valley ahead. Senior Brother Xie fears an ambush and has gone to check. Please wait here.”

As he spoke, disciples of the Tianjian Sect surrounded the carriage, forming a sword formation with Hua Xiangwan at its center, protecting the Hehuan Palace entourage.

Lingbei turned to Hua Xiangwan and whispered, “Xie Wushuang’s gone into the valley. There must be someone ahead. Should we help?”

Hua Xiangwan stayed silent. A faint rustling came from the dense forest nearby—something was climbing.

Lingnan opened his eyes, and Lingbei’s expression darkened.

“Instead of helping him,” Hua Xiangwan said with a wry smile, “I’d better help myself.”

As soon as her words fell, screams erupted from outside.

“Insects! So many insects! Be careful!”

“The Five Poison Sect is here too!” someone shouted in panic.

Chaos broke out. Lingbei’s face turned grim. “I’ll go help,” he said, and rushed out with his men.

The young disciples of the Tianjian Sect were brave but inexperienced. If they encountered cultivators from the Western Territory, they’d be slaughtered.

Inside the carriage, only Lingnan and Hua Xiangwan remained.

Hua Xiangwan glanced at him, and he immediately knelt before her, offering his hands.

She drew a sharp line across her finger, pressed her bleeding fingertip against his palm, and their hands intertwined. Spiritual energy flowed from Lingnan into her body.

Her blood dripped onto the tabletop as she chanted a quiet, ancient incantation.

The blood spread into a circle, lines intertwining until a complex array took form.

When the final line connected, the magic circle flared to life, light bursting outward—

—instantly burning every poisonous insect it touched to ash.

The Tianjian Sect disciples froze in shock. But before they could react, a sharp cry rang out from the forest.

Dark shadows shot forward, rushing toward Hua Xiangwan’s carriage.

The poisonous swarm returned, joined by the shadows—thick and fast, converging on her from every direction.

The disciples closed ranks around her carriage. From within, beams of radiant energy blasted outward, tearing through the shadows and striking down the cultivators behind them.

As the assault waned, the disciples began to relax—until Shen Xiuwen felt the ground tremble faintly.

Something was wrong.

He turned sharply and sprinted toward Hua Xiangwan’s carriage. “Young Master Hua, be careful!” he shouted.

At that moment, the earth split open beneath the carriage. A monstrous beast—tiger claws, monkey’s body—burst forth, sending the carriage flying!

Hua Xiangwan and Lingnan, both cultivators, lost balance and were thrown out.

The beast roared, its claws glinting coldly in the moonlight. It lunged at her.

In that instant, Shen Xiuwen leapt forward, pulling Hua Xiangwan into his arms and narrowly dodging the fatal blow.

The beast’s claws raked across his back, and he cried out in pain.

Hua Xiangwan caught him, seized his sword, and as the beast’s jaws opened, she thrust the blade upward with all her strength—

Clang!

The sword struck the beast’s jaw, stopping its bite.

“Shen Daojun,” Hua Xiangwan’s hand trembled as she held the sword. She looked back at the bloodied Shen Xiuwen and gave a faint, bitter smile. “This time, I’m not plotting against you.”

Shen Xiuwen forced a weak smile.

Then, from above, a brilliant sword light fell from the sky—splitting the beast from head to tail.

Hua Xiangwan reacted instantly, clutching Shen Xiuwen and rolling them aside.

A deafening howl split the air. The massive beast, the size of a hill, collapsed in two.

Blood rained down like a crimson storm. Hua Xiangwan raised her sleeve to shield them.

Through the falling blood, she saw a young man in white standing amid the carcass. He raised his hand, and the long sword that had slain the beast flew neatly back to his grip.

Amidst the blood rain, the white figure dashed forward, cutting through a dozen cultivators in a single breath.

The sword pierced chests and throats; heads fell before they could hit the ground.

When silence returned, only one man remained standing—frozen in terror, his face splattered with blood.

Hua Xiangwan, still holding Shen Xiuwen, looked at Xie Wushuang.

Half his face was stained with blood—like plum blossoms scattered over white jade. The other half remained flawless, cold, and calm.

He stood motionless, sword in hand, radiating an aura of killing intent—not directed at anyone, but born from slaughter itself.

Even though Hua Xiangwan had seen death countless times, a flicker of fear passed through her.

Half divine, half demonic—Xie Wushuang looked like a god carved from carnage.

His gaze fell to Hua Xiangwan’s hand. He stared at it for a long moment.

Blood spread across the ground, and no one dared to speak.

Hua Xiangwan held Shen Xiuwen tightly, watching him in silence.

He seemed to want to speak, but after a pause, he simply turned and took a few steps forward.

Hua Xiangwan’s heart rose and fell with each step.

Then, in a quiet voice, he asked, “Hua Xiangwan, can you use a sword?”

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