"The valley still lacks a final ingredient," Liam Ardent said with a faint smile. His eyes gleamed with quiet intensity, sharp as starlight cutting through the mist. "It grows on the cliffside. Even with my cultivation, I cannot reach it safely. Grandmother, I will need you to come with me."
The aged figure beside him tapped her serpent-headed staff lightly against the ground. "If the medicine cannot be completed without it," Grandmother replied, her tone steady yet gentle, "then I will accompany you."
She turned to Lilith Stormbane, whose dark eyes flickered with both worry and trust. "Child, remain here. Guard the valley."
Lilith pressed her lips together, reluctant but obedient. "Yes, Grandma."
And so it was decided. The two figures—Liam Ardent and Grandmother—slipped from Butterfly Valley, their steps light yet sure as they crossed forest and ridge. Soon, the cries of cicadas and the murmur of mountain wind replaced the valley's hushed silence.
After some miles, Liam came to a halt beneath the canopy of pines. His gaze lingered on the woman beside him.
"Grandmother," he said with a faint, mischievous smile, "why continue to veil yourself? You are hailed throughout Jianghu as the Purple-Clad Dragon King, yet you hide behind silver wig and wrinkled mask. Isn't that a waste of Heaven's gift?"
For a moment, the serpent-headed staff paused. The corners of her lips curved almost imperceptibly.
"You saw through me long ago, didn't you?"
Liam inclined his head.
With a graceful motion, she raised her hand and peeled away the disguise. Silver strands vanished. The human-skin mask came free.
And there she stood—Isolde Serpentis, revealed once more in her true form.
The mountain sunlight kissed her flawless features: a high nose, eyes that gleamed like water, lips soft yet proud. She appeared no older than a maiden of twenty summers, but with a bearing both saintly and perilous. The beauty that could unsettle kingdoms shone unhindered, framed by the rustling green of pines.
Even Liam, tempered by countless trials, felt his breath falter. So this… is the Dragon King in truth.
"Lady Isolde," he murmured, abandoning formality, "this is the face the world should know."
Her gaze met his, light as flowing water. For a heartbeat, the mountain wind carried silence thick with unspoken currents. Then she smiled faintly. "Enough flattery. Tell me where this herb lies."
They pressed onward until they reached the edge of a sheer precipice. Far below, clouds coiled like silver serpents, and on the rockface halfway down, delicate stalks swayed in the breeze. Their bodies glowed faintly green, and a fragrance wafted across the chasm.
"Azurecloud Grass," Liam said, pointing toward the cliff. "The final key to the elixir."
Isolde's lips quirked. "Wait here."
With a flick of her toes against a branch, her figure soared, robes fluttering like violet silk against the cliffside. She descended upon the rockface, her balance flawless. In moments, every stalk of Azurecloud Grass was gathered.
She returned with effortless grace, landing before him as lightly as a falling petal. Placing the herbs into his hands, she said, "Now you may refine your medicine."
Liam accepted them, his fingers brushing briefly against hers. Warmth coursed through him—not from the herb, but from that fleeting contact. He masked it quickly, tucking the stalks into his pouch.
"Indeed," he said softly, "with this, everything is complete."
For a long moment, the two simply stood at the cliff's edge, the mountain wind tugging at their robes. The unspoken bond between them deepened, veiled beneath the guise of cultivation necessity.
Half a day later, the pair returned to Butterfly Valley. Once again, Isolde veiled herself as Grandmother.
Summoning Lilith Stormbane, Isla Drake, and Lady Moira Drake, she spoke firmly. "Our business here is finished. We will return to Spirit Snake Island."
But Lilith shook her head, her voice resolute though her eyes shone with tears. "I promised Brother Liam I would stay by his side. I will not leave him. Please, Grandma, allow me this."
The valley's air grew tense. Lilith's devotion was no fleeting girlish passion—her eyes blazed with conviction, a loyalty carved deeper than steel.
Liam stepped forward, his hand brushing her shoulder. "Let her stay," he said quietly to Grandmother. "She is no longer a child. I will see to her safety."
For a moment, silence stretched. Then, beneath the mask, Grandmother's lips curved in the faintest sigh. "Very well. A grown girl cannot be bound. She may remain."
System Update
[Lilith Stormbane's Favorability Locked at 100 – Life-Bound Devotion]
[Bond Confirmed: Eternal Companion]
The notification glimmered before Liam's eyes, stirring satisfaction deep within him. One more bond had been secured, not through chains, but through unyielding will.
As Grandmother turned to depart, Lady Moira Drake emerged, holding Isla's hand tightly.
"Please… one request," Moira said softly.
Grandmother paused. "Speak."
"My master is gone, and the Emei Sect has cast me aside. I wish to cut ties with them forever. I have no power to protect my daughter. If you permit it, I would follow you to Spirit Snake Island, to live in peace."
Grandmother considered this quietly, then nodded. "So be it. Spirit Snake Island is secluded enough. You will be safe there."
Isla's large eyes shimmered with tears. She turned to Liam, her small hands clutching her mother's sleeve. "Brother Liam… I want to stay. But I have no martial skill. I would only burden you. For now, I'll go with Mother. But—please promise to visit me."
Liam bent, ruffling her hair with a gentle hand. "One day, I will."
The girl's lip trembled, but she nodded bravely.
Thus, Lady Moira Drake and Isla departed with Grandmother, their figures vanishing into the forest mists.
Liam remained in the valley with Lilith by his side, the Azurecloud Grass in his grasp, and a heart caught between triumph and parting sorrow.
The road of Jianghu stretched before him—endless, perilous, and gleaming with untold promise.
Glossary – Chapter 22
Azurecloud Grass – A rare herb growing on sheer cliffs. Essential for refining high-grade healing elixirs. Its fragrance restores vitality and nourishes the meridians.
Grandmother Goldenflower (Lady Isolde Serpentis) – Disguised identity of the Purple-Clad Dragon King of the Ming Cult. Among close allies and Lilith, she is simply called Grandmother.
System Bond – Eternal Companion – When Favorability reaches 100 and locks, the individual becomes bound by unbreakable loyalty, pledging to follow Liam throughout life and death.
This story is inspired from various Wuxia novels ,so if you find any similarities please dont mind . and if you think this is boring wait till the Dual cultivation starts ,Thank you .
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T/N :
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