Chapter 40

Chapter 40: Graceful and pure as snow

The dark yellow window paper, slightly torn, rustled as the night wind occasionally blew through.

Inside the room, it was dim, shadows intertwined. 

Qiu Ping Tian lay sideways on the bed, staring at the young man sitting on the stool with his eyes closed, resting. 

"Your Highness, you haven't been able to rest well these past few days. If you don't mind, come up here and 

squeeze in with me!"

Si Cang Qing didn't even open his eyes, "No need." He didn't like physical contact with others, except for Feng 

Lan, of course. 

"Heh," as if understanding Si Cang Qing's thoughts, Qiu Ping Tian no longer insisted, but perked up and chatted 

aimlessly, "I just found out today that Your Highness's martial arts are so impressive."

Si Cang Qing fell silent. 

With a slight twitch of his lips, Qiu Ping Tian noticed that Si Cang Qing had no intention of chatting, so he also 

closed his mouth and silently stared at him.

Suddenly, with a glimmer in his eyes, Qiuping Tian half-sat up and said, “Your Highness, do you still remember 

that you owed me a condition?"

Si Cang Qing opened his eyes and looked back at the other person silently.

But Qiu Ping Tian smiled somewhat slyly, his eyes bright and shining, "I want to make a request today, Your 

Highness, can you agree?" 

"Speak!" Si Cang Qing replied briefly. He never goes back on his promises, and now that Qiu Ping Tian is asking 

to fulfill the original promise, he has no objections.

With a gleam in his eyes, Qiu Ping Tian smiled, as if in the spring breeze, "What I want Your Highness to do is, 

I hope you can be my friend, a real friend." Not the usual perfunctory words he used in the business world.

Friends? Si Cang Qing was slightly puzzled, "How do we do that?" 

With a soft laugh, Qiu Ping Tian's expression softened a bit, his eyebrows lifting high, "It's not about doing 

something specific. I just want to be able to interact with you like friends. When we are together, I am not the 

richest person in the world, and you are not the Crown Prince. We are just ourselves..."

In a daze, Si Cang Qing faintly gazed at Qiu Ping Tian. He didn't understand why the other party would exchange 

such a promise for this condition. It seemed somewhat... 

Friends? Not an unfamiliar word. 

In his life, there was no self in the previous life, so it was better not to mention it; in this life, there were family 

and lovers, but it seemed he had never specifically made friends…

"Like family?" Si Cang Qing asked again, just like Wu Xin and Lu Huan, not family, yet like family?

"Almost," Qiu Ping Tian replied with a gentle smile, slightly pained, this person didn't even understand 

friendship, so he continued to ask, "Your Highness, what do you think?"

A strange feeling. Si Cang Qing thought for a moment, then closed his eyes again, saying only, "As you wish." 

With a silent smile, Qiu Ping Tian propped his arm on the bed and rested his chin on his hand, gazing at Si Cang 

Qing's indifferent face, his expression growing softer. "Your Highness, since we are friends, may I call you 

Brother Qing?” (Qing Di - 弟 dì : younger brother / junior male)

Si Cang Qing's response was still nonchalant, "As you wish." 

To him, it was just a title. 

Upon hearing this, Qiu Ping Tian smiled so wide that his eyes turned into slits, teasingly, "Of course, I would 

prefer if Qing di could call me brother Tian.” (Tian Ge- 哥 gē : elder brother)

Si Cang Qing remained silent and did not react at all.

In this mud house in the mountains, the light in the pine oil bowl is as small as a bean, swaying in the occasional 

night breeze.

There were two people, one half lying on the old plank bed, and the other sitting cross-legged on a low stool. The 

room was quiet but not depressing.

The smile on his face faded, and Qiu Ping Tian's expression turned serious. His gaze fixed on Si Cang Qing, his 

eyes deep and contemplative, as if studying the person before him, yet also seeming distracted. He then murmured

softly, as if asking a question or speaking to himself, "Why does Qing di like the Crown Princess?"

Clearly, Si Cang Qing is a cold person, yet why does he always unconsciously and naturally care for that person 

in every word and action? Clearly, that person is just an ordinary person, with an ordinary appearance and an 

average personality, as ordinary as a drop of water in the vast ocean, yet they uniquely attract the most supreme 

person in the world!

"Like Lan?" 

Suddenly hearing the cold voice, Qiu Ping Tian was slightly surprised. Si Cang Qing was looking at him 

thoughtfully. Qiu Ping Tian smiled faintly, "Does Your Highness not like the Crown Princess?"

Si Cang Qing fell silent for a moment, his eyelashes half-covering his eyes, the flickering light casting shadows 

on his face, making it hard to see his expression. 

"Hmm." 

Qiu Ping Tian heard Si Cang Qing respond lightly, this affirmative "Hmm" wasn't an answer to his question, 

but rather an acknowledgment that he indeed liked Feng Lan, right?

His curiosity was aroused, and Qiu Pingtian asked inquiringly: "What do you like about the Crown Princess?"

What did he like about Lan? Si Cang Qing looked puzzled; he simply followed his heart, wanting to be with Lan, 

so he married him. He had never pursued questions like what he liked.

He said, "Lan's eyes are very clear." 

It seemed like he was answering Qiu Ping Tian's question, but it also seemed like he was just saying it to himself. 

Si Cang Qing's expression carried a hint of gentle warmth, and he added, "I don't want to see his tears."

Whether Feng Lan's eyes were clear or not, it was impossible to know. Qiu Ping Tian was merely looking at Si 

Cang Qing, who had a cold demeanor but warmth in his eyes. This was not the ruthless and cold-blooded 

Supreme Prince people were accustomed to seeing; this was just a person who, despite being naive and unaware 

of the situation, was revealing his sincere and genuine feelings.

With a slightly tender smile, Qiu Ping Tian murmured to himself, ‘To be treated so by one person, what more 

could one ask for?’ 

Even if it meant being submissive, he would willingly accept. 

In this superficial world, the hardest thing to find is a person's true heart—so straightforward, pure, yet profound, 

it is utterly irresistible.

Si Cang Qing is the poppy that leads to ruin. 

Qi Ping Tian turned his gaze away, lay down silently, and said no more.

◇Cang Huan◇Seven Palaces◇

Early in the morning, Si Cang Qing went to Sanligang alone. Because Qiu Ping Tian had some injuries on his 

feet, he asked Feng Xiang to stay and take care of him.

Alone, Si Cang Qing quickly climbed to the so-called Sanligang, which was just an ordinary place with lush 

thatch and towering pine and cypress trees.

After sizing it up, Si Cang Qing slightly raised an eyebrow. No wonder the villagers here could never find the 

"Immortal’s" residence, and no wonder the old woman exaggeratedly said, "The Immortal descended from the 

heavens."

Here, the little-known Wood Technique Formation is set up. Si Cang Qing walked into the formation and slowly 

scanned the surroundings. Back then, the Divine Doctor had some connections with the Penglai Pavilion; this 

Wood Technique Formation must have been learned from the Penglai Pavilion, right?

As the 17th master of Penglai Pavilion, breaking these formations was naturally a piece of cake.

In no time, Si Cang Qing found a way out and calmly navigated through the wooden formation.

A faint sound pierced through the air, and Si Cang Qing quickly spun around, his feet landing on the branches 

and leaves. Focusing intently, he sensed that there were a dozen or so experts hidden here, their auras somewhat 

familiar... 

Shadow Guards.

There was no time to delve deeper; those men in black, without uttering a word, attacked Si Cang Qing. Si Cang 

Qing showed no mercy, skillfully wielding the Liuhua Sword, its sword energy erupting fiercely, striking at the 

men in black who surrounded him, as well as those hidden in the shadows. 

Facing ten opponents was not a difficult task for Si Cang Qing, given his martial prowess.

Those men in black were striking with lethal intent. 

Si Cang Qing, without holding back, unleashed a powerful surge of true energy, spinning around and knocking 

all their weapons away. Unable to withstand it, everyone spat out blood.

Looking coldly at the men in black, Si Cang Qing's expression darkened, and he was about to raise his hand... 

"Don't..." 

A harsh voice came from behind, screeching like a carriage wheel slipping, producing a sound that was both 

broken and muffled. This sound pierced the ears, making one's heart feel as if it were being scratched by a cat. 

Si Cang Qing turned around calmly to look…

Snow lotus stands alone in beauty. 

This thought flashed through Si Cang Qing's mind as he silently observed the newcomer: although he was a man, 

he was unbelievably beautiful.

The beautiful man before him had a sickly pale complexion, his chest heaving and his breath unsteady, indicating 

that he had just rushed here. His lightly furrowed brows showed a hint of worry, carrying a faint sense of 

weariness. His beautiful eyes, shimmering like rippling waves, flickered with a color of anxiety.

But then, he spoke urgently, with unsteady breaths, "Hero, spare them. You, you are looking for me..." 

The men in black struggled to get up, moved in front of Si Cang Qing, and shielded him. One of them said, 

"Young Master, you should leave quickly. We swear to protect you with our lives..."

"Why bother," the beautiful man murmured, his eyes filled with a faint sadness, "Have many people not died 

over the years..." 

He then seriously looked at the expressionless Si Cang Qing and said, "Hero, you want my life, it has nothing to 

do with others; Hero, have mercy, do not harm their lives..."

While speaking, the person's expression returned to calmness, a sense of relief. 

Si Cang Qing fell silent, quickly piecing together the situation. Someone had been pursuing the "young master" 

all along, and now these shadow guards and that person had mistaken him for an assassin. 

"Ying’er," the black-clothed person who had spoken earlier said, "You take the young master away!"

"I won't leave," the man smiled faintly at Si Cang Qing, "Hero, spare them, I'll let you do whatever you want 

with me!"

Seeing this group chattering endlessly, Si Cang Qing felt slightly impatient and coldly said, "I'm here to find the 

heir of the Divine Doctor." He looked at the young master, "Is it you?" 

It was almost noon, and if they didn't leave the mountain soon, there might be heavy rain and flash floods in the 

afternoon.

Everyone was stunned. The man in black skeptically spoke up, "Are you here to seek medical help?" Someone 

who could break that complex wood technique formation couldn't be a simple person. 

"You..." The young master hesitated for a moment, then suddenly realized something and abruptly stopped 

speaking. 

Si Cang Qing glanced at everyone indifferently, "I'm not interested in your lives. I'm here today just to make sure 

the Divine Doctor’s heir abides by the agreement."

Agreement? The young master looked puzzled, staring at Si Cang Qing in confusion but not speaking further. 

With a wave of his hand, Si Cang Qing brushed aside the trembling people blocking his way and walked up to the 

man, "The Divine Doctor diagnosed the Heart-Devouring Gu for my father back then and left because of it, but he 

promised to return."

Hearing this, the man looked dazed, as if he knew about this agreement. He parted his lips slightly, then pressed 

them together again.

"You are not mute, so speak if you have something to say." Si Cang Qing said coldly, probably knowing why the 

villagers said this person never spoke, it must be because of that unpleasant and harsh voice. But, since he wasn't 

mute, why suffer in silence? 

"Presumptuous..."

"Ying," the man suddenly interrupted the words of the man in black, laughing softly, "What the young master said 

makes sense, but you must endure." After a pause, he continued, "Before Master passed away, he indeed 

mentioned that he owed someone a life. But later..."

Not continuing the conversation, the man changed the subject, "So it was the young master's father. Then I will 

accompany the young master. Back then, my master had already found a way to eradicate the Heart-Devouring 

Gu, but he didn't have time to make the appointment."

"But, hero, could you wait while I check their injuries first?" 

Si Cang Qing nodded and stood by. 

"Young master, you mustn't..." The man in black disapproved and advised, "If someone discovers your 

whereabouts..."

"Ying, it's alright." The man interrupted Ying calmly, "A doctor's primary duty is to save lives, and this is also 

Master's last wish."

Seeing that the other party was about to speak, he said firmly, "Don't say anything more. I have made up my 

mind."

Previous  Front Page  Next