The night was deep, and the empty valley was exceptionally quiet. In Ling Yuling's courtyard, a faint light still flickered.
The bean-sized flame swayed uncertainly, casting her face, sitting by the bed, in shifting light and shadow.
Suddenly, Ling Yuling let out a soft sigh, then stood up and walked to the window, gazing at the silent night outside. Everything was still, not even the chirping of insects could be heard.
Compared to the grand and majestic palaces and immortal abodes, this valley was unusually simple and serene, more like a retreat for mortals, making it hard to associate with the residence of the leader of the Heaven-Slaying Alliance.
"Does he... really think of me that way?"
Ling Yuling's gaze shifted to the side, where a bronze mirror reflected her slender, flower-like figure.
Her thoughts gradually drifted, and she recalled the events of the day in the valley, her face showing a mix of helplessness and bitterness.
The grievance she had felt earlier had dissipated, and she gradually regained her composure. Compared to her repeated betrayals of Gu Changge's trust, what right did she have to feel aggrieved or self-pitying?
At this moment, Ling Yuling remembered many things.
A long, long time ago, she and her sister were born into a wealthy family, enjoying a life of luxury and comfort. When she was four years old, a female Taoist who claimed to live in seclusion on Xiantai Mountain suddenly came to their home and took her and her sister away, saying they had extraordinary immortal destinies and could learn the methods of immortality, destined to reach the pinnacle of the immortal path.
Later, she and her sister arrived at Xiantai Mountain and began cultivating under the guidance of that female Taoist.
When they had achieved some success in their cultivation and had the opportunity to descend the mountain to settle their worldly ties, they discovered that a thousand years had passed in the mortal world.
Their parents had long since turned to dust. After they were taken away by the female Taoist, their family had welcomed a younger brother. A thousand years later, their family had risen to the pinnacle of mortal power, with titles of nobility and high-ranking positions, enjoying immense glory.
In the following years, she and her sister continued to cultivate on Xiantai Mountain, detached from worldly affairs and almost completely isolated from the outside world.
It was only later that they learned that Xiantai Mountain was considered a forbidden land in the cultivation world, existing beyond the mundane world, transcending all realms.
When the Black Calamity swept through various universes, threatening the Vast Expanse, they were invited to join the countless armies that rose to oppose the Heaven-Warring Organization and quell the Black Calamity.
Ling Yuling's thoughts churned, and many distant memories flooded her mind.
Back then, the alliance they formed to protect the myriad worlds of the Vast Expanse was driven by a fearless determination, willing to sacrifice everything to stop that terrifying calamity and ultimately seal the Heaven-Warring Organization, bringing an end to the Black Calamity Era.
Only those who had personally experienced that era could understand her feelings and convictions. Otherwise, why would she have taken such great risks to organize the Prime-Origin Covenant?
Ling Yuling sighed softly, thinking of many things, when a faint aroma of wine drifted through the cracks of the window.
She was momentarily stunned.
Creak...
Outside, the moonlight had already passed the third eave of the roof. After a moment of hesitation, Ling Yuling stepped out of her room, pushed open the courtyard gate, and entered the valley.
Under a peach tree, the blossoms were in full bloom, and some petals had fallen, standing out even in the moonlight. Gu Changge sat there, drinking alone.
He wore a simple moon-white robe, his hair loose, leaning against the peach tree, looking very relaxed, like a noble young master slightly tipsy after drinking.
Ling Yuling was slightly surprised by this scene. It was both expected and unexpected.
She knew Gu Changge was drinking because she could smell the wine, but this was the first time she had seen him in such a lazy, slightly intoxicated state.
No matter when, Gu Changge always presented a flawless image in front of others, at least in her presence, like a perfect figure from a painting, somewhat unreal.
This scene, with its touch of reality, had a significant impact on her.
However, Ling Yuling didn't stare for too long, lowering her gaze slightly. Her face was slightly flushed, though it was hard to tell in the dim light.
"Can't sleep at this hour? I thought you would have gotten used to the routine of an ordinary person by now," Gu Changge continued to drink, seemingly unsurprised by Ling Yuling's arrival.
"Do you have something on your mind, Young Master Gu?"
Ling Yuling hesitated for a moment, then walked over. Although the shackles on her feet were heavy, she had grown accustomed to them over time and they no longer hindered her daily movements.
"Just passing the time with a few drinks."
Gu Changge glanced at her sideways. "Do you want to join me?"
"I'm not really good at drinking."
Ling Yuling quickly shook her head, but then, worried she might dampen Gu Changge's mood, she added, "But I can have a few drinks with you, Young Master Gu."
At this point, she suddenly remembered the cold, direct words Gu Changge had said during the day, fearing he might misunderstand again, so she added, "I don't mean anything else, it's just..."
"Just what? Just worried you'll ruin my mood?"
Gu Changge interrupted her, as if he knew exactly what she was thinking.
Ling Yuling was left speechless, unsure of how to respond.
"Can't you be more straightforward like your sister? Say what you mean. Does being evasive make things simpler?" Gu Changge picked up his wine cup, swirled it, and then downed it in one go.
Ling Yuling felt a pang of guilt at his words and silently picked up the wine jug, refilling Gu Changge's empty cup.
"Young Master Gu, you seem to have a good relationship with Yuxian..."
She had initially tried to keep her sister away from Gu Changge, fearing she might encounter danger.
But in the end? It was just another slap in the face for her.
"More than just good."
Hearing this, Gu Changge suddenly smiled, rubbing the wine cup. "If you knew that your sister's love tribulation was tied to me, what would you think?"
Ling Yuling wasn't particularly surprised. She filled the empty cup beside her with wine and said softly, "I've long anticipated this. Yuxian showed signs of this early on, and since we share a deep connection, I could sense some of her emotions and thoughts..."
"If that's the case, why didn't you stop her?" Gu Changge raised his eyes, looking at her face.
Ling Yuling hadn't expected Gu Changge to ask her this. Was he also troubled by it? It seemed her sister's feelings were one-sided, with the goddess willing but the king indifferent.
"I can't control Yuxian's thoughts. Besides, I've tried to stop her before, but it didn't work," she admitted honestly.
Gu Changge suddenly laughed, downing another cup of wine. "You're surprisingly candid tonight."
Ling Yuling, imitating him, tilted her slender, snow-white neck, attempting to drink it all in one go. However, without her cultivation, she choked, her face turning red as she coughed uncontrollably.
The clear wine trickled down her neck, soaking a large part of her robe.
"If you can't drink, why try to imitate me?"
Gu Changge shook his head slightly, looking at her disheveled state with some helplessness.
With that, he took out a clean embroidered handkerchief from his sleeve and handed it to Ling Yuling.
Ling Yuling was still coughing, her fair and delicate face flushed with embarrassment. After finally calming down, she still felt utterly humiliated.
"Young Master Gu, I've made a fool of myself..."
She took the handkerchief from Gu Changge and began wiping the wine from her neck and robe, trying to salvage her dignity.
"If you can't drink, don't force yourself. Being stubborn isn't always good, and being gentle doesn't mean it's bad," Gu Changge said leisurely, swirling his wine cup as he watched Ling Yuling.
Having learned her lesson, Ling Yuling drank more carefully afterward, taking small sips, finally experiencing some of the pleasures of drinking.
Moreover, she had to admit that the wine Gu Changge was drinking was extraordinary. Even without her cultivation, she could feel the surging rules and primordial forces within it.
The injuries to her origin, sustained during the battle at the Prime-Origin Covenant, began to heal quietly.
Although her surface wounds had healed, the damage to her origin had remained unhealed. Without her cultivation, she couldn't even regulate her own energy.
Every night at this time, the injuries to her origin would flare up, causing pain that even the most strong-willed would cry out in agony.
Ling Yuling could face this pain with a calm expression, showing just how firm her mental state was.
However, she now wondered if the wine tonight had been specially prepared for her by Gu Changge.
Had he, after his harsh words during the day, used this method of "drinking" to help her recover?
The night grew deeper, and Ling Yuling hadn't expected that discussing her sister would bring her closer to Gu Changge. His attitude toward her was no longer as cold as it had been during the day.
Earlier, he had even thoughtfully handed her a handkerchief and hadn't mocked her for her clumsiness.
All of this indicated that there was still room for reconciliation between her and Gu Changge.
Emboldened by the wine and a sudden surge of courage, Ling Yuling took the opportunity to explain the events of the day to Gu Changge, not wanting him to misunderstand her.
Although Gu Changge didn't say much, Ling Yuling could sense that he believed her.
This lifted a weight off her heart and made her feel much happier.
Gu Changge, seemingly surprised by her sudden candidness, asked her some questions, including about the process of organizing the Prime-Origin Covenant.
Ling Yuling, to prove her innocence, answered all his questions honestly.
To this day, she still didn't know which force had tampered with the Covenant Golden Book and set the trap to kill Gu Changge.
The reason she had chosen to oppose the Heaven-Slaying Alliance was her fear that the Prime-Origin Civilization would follow the fate of the many civilizations and nations that had fallen during the Black Calamity Era, as she had witnessed the horrors of that time.
After setting aside her previous prejudices and misunderstandings, Ling Yuling felt less restrained in her conversation with Gu Changge.
Many topics and matters naturally came up as they spoke.
She also vaguely realized that Gu Changge's original intention in establishing the Heaven-Slaying Alliance might not have been to use it as a banner to unify the Vast Expanse or usurp the authority of the Heavenly Dao, but rather to truly "slay the heavens."
This discovery shocked and astonished her.
Perhaps her sister Ling Yuxian had already known this, which was why she firmly believed that the emergence of the Heaven-Slaying Alliance wouldn't bring disaster to the Prime-Origin Civilization.
His goal had always been simple and direct.
In the face of the unimaginable and daring act of "slaying the heavens," unifying the Vast Expanse or usurping the Heavenly Dao's authority seemed laughably shortsighted.
Later, Ling Yuling lost track of how many cups of wine she had drunk. She only remembered opening up to Gu Changge, talking about many things with her sister, how they had been taken away by a female Taoist at the age of four to cultivate, how a thousand years had passed in the mortal world when they first descended the mountain, how their parents had long since passed away, how everything had changed, and how they had participated in the great battles against the Heaven-Warring Organization...
In the end, she was truly drunk, completely unconscious.
When Ling Yuling woke up again, the sun was already high in the sky.
The sunlight outside the window was blinding, making it hard for her to open her eyes. She raised her fair, jade-like hand to shield her face.
Then, her slightly blurred vision began to focus, landing on some scattered clothes and undergarments on the bed.
The room was filled with a strong smell of alcohol, mixed with some other strange scents.
Ling Yuling held her aching head, trying to recall the events of the previous night after she had gotten drunk. This was the first time in countless years that she had been so intoxicated.
But now, her mind was a chaotic mess, like a pot of stirred paste.
"My cultivation has returned..."
Ling Yuling realized that her cultivation had been restored, and the shackles on her feet were gone. However... getting out of bed was difficult.
She suddenly froze, her dazed eyes widening slightly, as if unable to process what had happened.
With her cultivation restored, the memories of the previous night's drunkenness flashed through her mind like a revolving lantern.
Ling Yuling remained stunned for a long time before finally coming to her senses, looking at the scattered clothes around her, feeling dizzy.
"How could I have done such a thing last night..."
She murmured, covering her forehead, her gaze complicated as she looked at the plum blossom stain on the bedsheet.
The empty valley was exceptionally quiet, filled with the fragrance of peach blossoms. Petals drifted down, bright and beautiful. Mu Yan had gone to meet Luo Xiangjun as promised, while Yao Yao was still refining the Fate Furnace.
Ling Yuling dressed herself, tidied her appearance, and made sure she looked no different from usual before limping out of her room.
However, today she unexpectedly encountered another familiar uninvited guest in the valley.
Xi Yin, the senior sister of the Xiyuan Saintess.