Return to Before the Villain’s Corruption

Night deepened, and the once bustling, brightly lit Lin'an City finally quieted down. Lanterns extinguished one after another, replaced by the silvery glow of the moon, casting rippling reflections like water on the eaves and corridors of every household. The tiny spirits and creatures hidden deep in the thickets seemed to have fallen into slumber, only occasionally letting out a listless chirp or two.

Yet, within the Fu Yu Zhai auction house, the atmosphere remained lively—even growing increasingly fervent as the items up for bid became rarer and more precious.

In the private room labeled "Earth One," Qiu Shi propped her chin on her hand and, under the puzzled gazes of Song Yunhe and Wu Fei, calmly explained, "On the seventh floor of the main city’s spire, there’s also a Melodic Sound Tree. It grows by absorbing the resonance of the Demonic Moon Zither, and it’s thriving—" She paused briefly, as if searching for the right words, then gestured with her hand and settled on an idiom: "flourishing splendidly."

In truth, that Melodic Sound Tree wasn’t just flourishing splendidly—it was practically mutating.

An ordinary Melodic Sound Tree wasn’t particularly robust, standing only about half a person’s height at most. Over time, it might grow to reach a person’s full height, but its leaves were sparse, and it was notoriously finicky about its environment, often at risk of withering prematurely.

The one nourished by the Demonic Moon Zither, however, had barely sprouted a century ago and already towered over Qiu Shi. Its branches and leaves were lush and verdant, even showing faint signs of developing sentience—as if it weren’t even the same species as the one growing in the undersea secret realm.

Wu Fei listened, then glanced at Qin Donglin, whose expression remained unreadable. Suspicious, he asked, "You knew about this?"

Then he turned to Song Yunhe, who stood tall and poised beside him. "You knew too?"

Song Yunhe arched a brow and shook his head. "The seventh floor of the spire is off-limits without the permission of the Demonic Moon Zither’s spirit. Whatever happens inside, unless Qiu Shi speaks of it, even I, as the young lord of the main city, wouldn’t know."

Qin Donglin’s fingers were long and elegant, his skin pale as frost, and when they rested on the finely textured teacup, they resembled a masterpiece of nature. He gave a slight nod, his voice cool and detached. "Mm."

When Song Yunhe’s gaze landed on her, Qiu Shi—uncharacteristically guilty—lowered her head further into the crook of her arm, her avoidance painfully obvious.

Seeing this, Song Yunhe understood immediately. Yet, even so, he pressed a hand to his forehead and let out a laugh tinged with exasperation.

Qiu Shi’s head drooped even lower.

Song Yunhe rarely had free time, and her whims were endless—one moment she’d be fixated on one thing, the next on another. Each time, he’d have to set aside his own affairs to cater to her demands. After a few instances, even someone as oblivious to the concept of "imposition" as Qiu Shi couldn’t help but feel a twinge of guilt.

But her chaotic life—ranging from cultivation mishaps to trivialities like her tavern losing money—needed someone to clean up after her.

So she turned to someone even busier than Song Yunhe.

Qin Donglin, naturally, bore the brunt of it.

This led to situations where, even when he retreated into seclusion for cultivation, he’d have to place a sound-transmitting jade on the cushion beside him. Qiu Shi would chatter away incessantly on the other end, while he frowned, pretending not to hear—until her voice suddenly quieted, turning small and pitiful, almost tearful. Only then would Qin Donglin suppress a deep sigh, wait for her to finish listing the treasures she wanted, and give the necessary promises. Once she cheerfully cut the connection, he’d finally have a moment of peace.

Over the years, Qin Donglin’s temperament—already darkened and unpredictable from walking the path of slaughter through his sword cultivation—had been worn down by her until even his edges softened.

Wu Fei patted Song Yunhe’s shoulder sympathetically, at a loss for how to console him over the fact that his sister, in her heart, had placed another man above him.

The private room fell abruptly silent, and Qiu Shi couldn’t bear the stifling atmosphere. She cleared her throat and spoke up, forcing the words out: "The highlight of the auction is about to begin."

After Mo Ruanruan spent a staggering 21 million spirit stones to secure the Melodic Sound Tree, the auction hall quieted for a brief moment—only to erupt again as the auctioneer unveiled the next item.

The elder from Fu Yu Zhai smiled mysteriously, his wrinkles bunching up in a way that made him seem kindly and approachable. He stepped forward to the silver tray and, under the rapt attention of the crowd, lifted the black cloth covering it.

What lay beneath was an exquisite top-grade blood crystal stone. Even from her high vantage point, separated by a thick crystal wall, Qiu Shi could almost feel the refreshing aura it emitted.

Its quality was impeccable, and its size was extraordinary—larger than any blood crystal stone Qiu Shi had ever seen.

"What do you think?" Wu Fei asked, eyeing the eager faces in the auction hall before turning to the group in the private room, each wearing different expressions.

"Starting bid—one million spirit stones!" The auctioneer’s booming voice echoed through the hall.

Blood crystal stones were something nearly every cultivator needed. Depending on their purity and spiritual energy, they could provide varying degrees of assistance during cultivation.

The higher one’s cultivation level, the more essential they became.

Qiu Shi had a few in her spatial ring, but none as dazzling as this one. The ones she owned were sufficient for her current level of meditation and insight, but their effects were limited.

This time, the bidders were mostly those at the Golden Wheel stage or above, facing bottlenecks in their cultivation.

Wu Fei, true to form, had spent the auction bidding on flashy but ultimately insignificant trinkets. Song Yunhe was the most level-headed—if he fancied something, he’d bid, but if the price climbed too high, he’d withdraw without hesitation. So far, he’d only picked up a couple of modest items.

Qin Donglin, meanwhile, had barely lifted his eyes more than a handful of times. He reclined in his chair, his devastatingly beautiful features and skin fairer than most women’s somehow exuding an undercurrent of danger. He was like a predator taking a brief rest, every breath making those around him tense.

Qiu Shi studied the blood crystal stone for a few moments before slumping back onto the table, her posture relaxed. At first, she faced the massive crystal wall, but soon she turned back, her small face tilting toward Qin Donglin as she stared unabashedly at his striking features.

As the auction progressed, several more priceless treasures were presented. Each time, Qiu Shi would crane her neck to look, only to flop back onto the table afterward, her delicate face wilting like a flower past its prime—and she made sure to shove this pitiful expression right under Qin Donglin’s nose, ensuring he couldn’t miss it.

After three or four rounds of this, Qin Donglin finally spoke, his voice icy: "Song Qiu Shi."

"I told you to bid on what you like. I didn’t tell you to save money."

"And I certainly didn’t tell you to stare at me."

Most people would have been flustered by such a cold remark, but Qiu Shi didn’t even flinch.

She’d heard worse—this was nothing.

"Qin Donglin," she said after staring at him unblinkingly for a long moment, her voice suddenly laced with melancholy, "I feel like our relationship isn’t as good as it used to be."

Her tone was plaintive, her expression wilted. "I’ve been thinking about that, and it’s ruined my mood for the auction."

Qin Donglin let out a grunt from his throat, slightly raising his slanting phoenix eyes as he asked, "Have we ever had a good relationship?"

Qiu Shi blinked her eyes and nodded, saying, "Of course. You can ask them. There are many things about you that only I know, and others have never even heard of them. Last time in the mortal world's month..."

"Song Qiu Shi."

Before ​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​‍she could blurt out something, Qin Donglin called her name in full. He took a sip of the herbal tea and forced himself to endure as he said, "If you have something to say, just say it."

Qiu Shi then smoothly changed the topic and started chatting.

"You don't tell me anything anymore."

Her voice was full of grievances. Coupled with her charming and pitiful face, it was hard for others to tell how much of the emotion was real and how much was fake.

Qin Donglin raised his eyebrows slightly. He casually lifted his arm, and his sharp eyes like a knife's edge landed on her. "Have you told me about your affairs?"

This remark was obviously meant something specific. As soon as Qiu Shi heard it, she knew he was referring to the matter of Cheng Yi.

This matter was not easy to talk about, and she would be in the wrong if she did.

But Qiu Shi never showed that she was in the wrong. The more in the wrong she was, the more justified she seemed.

She simply skipped over Qin Donglin's question and continued talking on her own, "You used to tell me everything."

Wu Fei and Song Yunhe, who had been silently watching on the side, immediately turned their gazes to Qin Donglin. The former clicked his tongue and said with a teasing smile, "Unexpected, really unexpected."

After hearing her words, even with Qin Donglin's calm nature, he couldn't help but let his chest tremble with anger.

When he went to the East Sea to capture the escaped great demon, she somehow got the news and insisted on following.

When he went to the secret realm for trials to seek a breakthrough, she also wanted to go with him.

Even when he went to the Outer Heavens to comprehend the sword intent, she still dared to go with him. She said it nicely, that she was worried about him. But when he was being chased and struck by lightning and looked in a sorry state, she hid in the protective shield set up by her father and watched happily like she was watching a show.

All his monotonous and repetitive things, including himself, were as transparent as glass in front of her.

Qin Donglin didn't want to argue about these meaningless things with her at all. He rubbed his eyebrows with his long fingers and asked, "What have I kept from you?"

This was exactly what Qiu Shi had been waiting for.

The fact that the Spirit of the Whirling Buddha Sword was seriously injured and had fallen into a coma was known only to Qin Donglin himself and the spirits of the Seven Sacred Treasures. Although Wu Fei and Song Yunhe were not outsiders, such news was too likely to cause a stir. So Qiu Shi secretly sent a voice transmission to him, "Why didn't you tell me about the Spirit of the Whirling Buddha Sword?"

She shook the dazzling spatial ring on her hand and said rather discontentedly, "It's always better to find a solution together than alone."

Qin Donglin's lazy expression tightened slightly. There was a hidden undercurrent surging in his black pupils, which quickly subsided. "I didn't tell you, but you still found out, didn't you?"

He was too familiar with the people and things around Qiu Shi. With just a little thought, he knew it was the spirit of the Demonic Moon Zither that had spread the news.

Qiu Shi retorted, "It's different when the zither spirit tells me and when you tell me."

Qin Donglin was too lazy to argue with her. His gaze landed on her beautiful fingers and then on the colorful spatial rings on them. His voice was a bit hoarse as he said, "Do you think I asked you to come here because I wanted to borrow money?"

Qiu Shi's eyes were round. After taking a look at Qin Donglin, she lowered her head uncomfortably and fiddled with the spatial ring on her hand, saying, "Well, most of them were found by you. They were originally yours. If you need them, just take them from me. Why do you have to say borrow?"

"If you think it's a loss of face, don't be so fierce to me in the future and don't always put on a cold face. Just find more treasures to pay me back."

In the end, she was afraid that he wouldn't take them.

This time, Qin Donglin really smiled, but the smile was very faint and soon faded away.

He stood up. He was tall and imposing, and when he looked down at people, he gave a strong sense of oppression.

"Choose whatever you like and bid for it."

He rarely said a rather patient thing, "I'm not short of money to buy things for you."

======

After the auction ended, Qiu Shi handed over four spatial rings without blinking an eye. She happily circled around the few treasures that Qin Donglin had bid for her several times. While looking, she chatted with Wu Fei about the map of the Luyuan Secret Realm ruins that had never been shown, "I thought it was real. It turns out it was just a gimmick. The treasures in the secret realm are real, but the map of the ruins is fake."

"Fake is good too."

Wu Fei shrugged and continued, "We might not be able to bid for the real one. Not to mention the other noble families here, just us and those from the Celestial Clan would fight to the death. No one would give in."

After the auction ended and the people in the auction hall gradually dispersed, Qiu Shi and the others also prepared to leave the private room.

Just then, Kang Ruhai, who had led them here before, pushed the door open and came in. He didn't ask about the identities of Qin Donglin and Wu Fei who had joined them. Instead, he bowed as usual and said respectfully, "My young master, please wait. The master of our Fuyu Zhai has a message for me to convey to you."

"What message?"

Song Yunhe stared intently and asked.

"Please move to the East Pavilion. The master has prepared tea and is waiting to welcome the distinguished guests."

Kang Ruhai didn't beat around the bush and directly said, "It's related to the map of the Luyuan Secret Realm ruins."

Hearing this, Qiu Shi raised her eyes, and the several of them looked at each other.

After a while, Song Yunhe nodded and said to Kang Ruhai, "Lead the way."