Return to Before the Villain’s Corruption

In the dead of night, the gentle moonlight like water enveloped the entire post station, looking like a thin veil of mist, soothing every sleeping creature.

Inside the post station, all the lights were on. The people from the Celestial Clan and those from Ye Capital sat on either side, clearly divided and at odds with each other. Song Yunhe sat in the middle, with a frown between his eyebrows, and didn't take a sip of the hot tea in front of him.

To be honest, those sitting here, regardless of whether they had a good relationship or not, could be regarded as acquaintances who had known each other since childhood.

These people were used to being reckless and always enjoyed privileges wherever they went. When they got into a fight, they didn't know the meaning of "making concessions".

And somehow, regarding these disputes among the younger generation, Song Chengshu and the others didn't interfere. For minor scuffles, they let the young people sort it out among themselves. If things got out of hand, they would come down hard on everyone. No one was allowed to say a word, and they all had to go back to kneel in the ancestral hall for reflection.

Therefore, it was a thorny issue no matter how to handle it.

Song Yunhe had a splitting headache.

"Where is Luo Ying? How is he now?" Qiu Shi asked.

Mo Changheng gave Qin Donglin a deep look and replied hoarsely, "Just now, the elder temporarily suppressed the spiritual power in his body. Now he is recuperating in the secret chamber. The situation is not good. He almost went berserk."

Qiu Shi thought for a moment, fixed her gaze on Gui Tun, and asked, "What on earth happened? What did you say to Luo Ying?"

Gui Tun was extremely frustrated today. If it was Song Yunhe asking him this question, he might have immediately jumped to his feet and angrily demanded to know what he meant. But now it was Qiu Shi standing in front of him. So he took a deep breath, forcefully pressed his fingertips against his eyebrows, and tried to recall the series of strange events that had happened today.

He and Song Yunhe were both young lords, and neither of them was afraid of the other. At worst, they could fight it out and then go back to receive punishment.

But Qiu Shi was a woman. The limit of Gui Tun's upbringing since childhood was to speak in a surly tone. So even after being whipped so hard by Mo Ruanruan, while he was hissing in pain and yelling that he wanted to fight back, he ultimately didn't take action.

If he really wanted to start this fight today, no one could have stopped him.

"I really should have checked my fortune before going out today. I've just run into nothing but bad luck," Gui Tun sneered disdainfully and reluctantly recalled, "We just arrived last night. Today, we wanted to take a stroll on the street. As soon as we stepped out, we ran into these two."

He pointed at Mo Ruanruan with his skinny, bamboo - like fingers and leaned back heavily in his seat. "I thought we were all old acquaintances, so I went up to say hello."

"Mo Ruanruan was looking at the spire of the main city at that time and asked Luo Ying if the Demonic Moon Zither was inside. She also said that she could sense the aura of the sacred object."

Well, everyone was interested in the Demonic Moon Zither, so it wasn't strange that Mo Ruanruan would bring it up. Gui Tun continued with a gloomy face, "When she turned to look at the spire of the main city, Luo Ying suddenly turned his head, and his expression seemed a bit off."

At this point, he paused and added, "It might not necessarily be that his expression was off. His expression was never very good anyway. But in any case, he just seemed abnormal."

He was looking at me at that time and didn't say a word for a long time. I asked him what he wanted to say and what problems he had. He might as well just say it straight and not stare at people motionlessly like this. I would think he wanted to fight with me.

When things got to this point, he simply stopped hiding anything. "The Luyuan Secret Realm is about to open, and so many people are rushing in. If possible, our teams are discussing the idea of forming an alliance. It would be more convenient to handle things and we wouldn't waste much time on the periphery. I thought Luo Ying wanted to discuss this with me."

So, in a very friendly manner, while having his attendant hold an umbrella to block the strong sunlight, he gave Luo Ying a rather friendly smile.

Who would have thought that if he hadn't smiled, it would have been fine. But this smile was like poking a hornet's nest. A faint bolt of lightning "poofed" out from Luo Ying's body.

Immediately afterwards, there was a second bolt, then a third. The arcs of light became stronger and stronger, and the power grew more and more intense. In the blink of an eye, it quickly enveloped everyone around in the thunder, and in just an instant, the post - station behind was also caught up in it.

Because of a friendly smile, Gui Tun was forced to experience a thunder disaster. When he rushed out with the protection of his spiritual treasure, he gasped in pain.

Thunder is extremely pure and extremely violent, while the ghosts in Ye Capital are extremely yin. The two are naturally incompatible.

Normally, besides Luo Ying who practices thunder magic, the person Gui Tun fears most in a fight is Qin Donglin who practices swordsmanship.

"I ​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‍just drank the spiritual recovery potion and was about to grit my teeth and rush up to save her."

Gui Tun looked at Mo Ruanruan and gave a heavy snort. "I don't know where a young man came from. He rushed up with a top - grade spiritual treasure that could block the thunder and pulled her out."

"You all know what happened next."

He covered his arm that had been whipped and said, "Now I understand what it means that good people don't get good rewards."

His description was so vivid and detailed that Qiu Shi frowned in surprise after listening.

In her impression, although Luo Ying was taciturn, he was still quite steady when dealing with things. Compared with Qin Donglin's over - bearing and bad - tempered personality, he was still a reasonable person and wouldn't attack the young master of another clan for no reason. So before coming here, she always thought that in this incident, it was probably Gui Tun who provoked first.

Unexpectedly, things were completely different.

"What about you? What did you see?"

Qiu Shi then asked Mo Ruanruan, who had been hanging her head and pursing her lips. "Did you see him provoking Luo Ying?"

Mo Ruanruan nodded, then shook her head uncertainly, and slowly said, "I was looking at the spire at that time."

She looked at Qiu Shi, then shifted her gaze to the handkerchief in her hand. After thinking for a while, she still swallowed back the words she wanted to say.

The reason why she briefly focused all her attention on the spire was that she found that the golden light symbolizing the Demonic Moon Zither was still shining, but the aura of the sacred object was much fainter than the last time she came.

This meant that either the Demonic Moon Zither had encountered an accident or it had recognized a master, which was why its aura was gradually disappearing.

There are so many people guarding the zither in the main city. Since it's a sacred object, they won't let it out easily, and the chance of getting injured is almost zero. So, there's only one other possibility.

The Demonic Moon Zither can choose its master.

In Mo Ruanruan's heart, there's only one person who could be that master.

"I didn't watch the spire for long. When I noticed something was wrong and turned back, I heard Luo Ying say something to Gui Tun."

"What did he say?"

Mo Ruanruan moved her lips and slowly uttered four words: "As expected, it's you."

Everyone's gazes then turned to Gui Tun's face. The latter looked solemn and firmly denied it: "I didn't hear him say anything."

He immediately added: "From the moment we met until he suddenly lost control, he didn't say a single word to me."

Mo Ruanruan also said firmly: "I heard it."

At this, everyone fell into deep thought.

Due to their identities, neither Gui Tun nor Mo Ruanruan had any reason to lie. They had done more outrageous things before and admitted to them. There was no need to cover up and lower their status. But for things they hadn't done, even if the elders of their families came and forced them to kneel in the ancestral hall until they died, they wouldn't admit it.

Qiu Shi understood why Song Yunhe was having a headache.

She said, "Luo Ying was out of control at that time. He probably won't remember what happened after he wakes up."

"It's a fact that Luo Ying lost control and injured people in the main city."

Qiu Shi looked at Mo Changheng, the direct heir prince of the Celestial Clan, and said, "Let's end this matter here. Keep an eye on Luo Ying these days. If necessary, take him back to the Celestial Clan for treatment. Don't let the Celestial Clan offend everyone before entering the Luyuan Secret Realm."

Apart from a large number of young wandering cultivators and small sects from various realms and races who had flocked in, the people staying in the post - station now were all forces capable of competing with them.

They came to the main city to offer birthday greetings and were inexplicably struck by lightning. The main culprit hadn't shown up to give an explanation for a long time, so they were already harboring resentment. If something like this happened again, during the three - year arduous cultivation and experience in the Luyuan Secret Realm, the Celestial Clan would surely encounter some minor troubles.

Song Yunhe stood up, walked to Gui Tun's side, and said, "Get up. I'll send you back."

After saying that, he turned his head and looked at his attendant, instructing, "There are still two bottles of pure dew in the Tian - character room. Go and get them down."

Gui Tun also knew that it wouldn't do any good to continue making a scene. He stood up. Before leaving, he let out a cold snort and gave a sinister look at Mo Changheng and Yun Xuan who were sitting there, saying, "This isn't over. Let's wait and see."

Mo Changheng almost instinctively frowned.

Among the Six Realms, if there was anyone the most difficult to deal with, it was the people from Ye Capital. They played with all sorts of strange things, which were unexpected and had all kinds of strange effects, making them hard to guard against. Gui Tun was a master in many fields, having dabbled in everything. The more strange and disgusting the things were, the more he liked them.

People like Mo Changheng, Yun Xuan, and Song Yunhe would have a headache when they saw him in a battle.

As he left, several men and women from Ye Capital who were sitting there also left. In the empty lobby, only the people from the Celestial Clan remained.

"Stretch out your hand."

Qiu Shi looked at Mo Ruanruan, who looked a bit disheveled. Her gaze swept over the faintly visible burn marks on her hand hidden in the sleeve, and she said in a rather bad temper, "I don't want anyone to gossip and say that our main city doesn't treat guests well."

Mo Ruanruan was extremely dejected. She hung her head, and it took a long time before she slowly stretched out her chubby hand.

Qiu Shi reached out and pulled up her sleeve a bit. A hideous, torn wound appeared in front of them. The red flesh was scorched to a charred black. Due to the powerful thunder - type spiritual power contained in it, it couldn't be completely healed by her own self - repair ability. And Mo Ruanruan hadn't bothered to treat the wound, so it was getting worse and worse.

At this time, a servant came down the stairs of the post - station, holding two bottles of pure dew in his hands. Qiu Shi waved at him and said, "Leave one bottle here."

She held Mo Ruanruan's hand, unscrewed the bottle of pure dew. A strange fragrance of lily - of - the - valley quickly spread. Everyone who smelled this sweet scent perked up, obviously indicating that the pure dew in the bottle was no ordinary thing.

Qiu Shi looked serious. Her long and curly eyelashes drooped as she dripped the pure dew that had formed into threads onto Mo Ruanruan's hand. The latter flinched.

Mo Ruanruan's hand was very soft, chubby like cotton. They had more confrontations and bickering with each other. Such a quiet and almost eerie atmosphere was really hard to bear.

After treating her wound, Qiu Shi put the pure dew on the table beside and said, "Apply it once in the morning and once at night. Let your attendant do it for you."

Mo Ruanruan nodded slowly. After a while, she moved her lips and said, "Thank you."

"I heard you were saved by someone today?"

Qiu Shi casually brought it up.

"Yeah."

Mo Ruanruan said, "I'm really grateful to him."

"What's his name? What's his background?

How is he now?"

Qiu Shi asked several questions in a row.

Mo Ruanruan pursed her lips and shook her head, looking helpless. "I don't know. I'm not in the mood to care about those things now. Luo Ying still hasn't come out."

Yun Xuan supplemented her answer, "That person is called Cheng Yi. His background hasn't been found out yet. He was already seriously injured. And then he blocked an attack from Luo Ying for Ruanruan. Now his condition is very bad. He might not make it at any time."

"We've used the best life - saving spiritual items on him."

Qiu Shi looked at Yun Xuan's fairy - like face and suddenly let out a laugh. "Cheng Yi," she repeated the name and said, "I suggest you keep some distance from him."

"Why?"

Mo Ruanruan looked up. "He saved me."

"Because, I once took in someone to repay a favor. Thanks to some people, the rumors spread very fast, and I was even confined for a while. Isn't it a coincidence that the person who saved me was also called Cheng Yi?"

Qiu Shi spread out her fair and delicate palm. Her smile didn't reach her eyes, and her tone gradually turned cold. After she said this, the faces of Mo Changheng and Yun Xuan changed.

It was true that there was a strong sense of mockery in Qiu Shi's words, but the meaning was also clear enough.

This man named Cheng Yi first saved Qiu Shi, putting the main city in his debt, and then saved Mo Ruanruan, making the Celestial Clan owe him a favor as well.

Where on earth did he come from and what extraordinary abilities did he have that he always happened to be there at the right time?

Was it really a coincidence or was it premeditated?

"By the way," Qiu Shi smiled again, showing half of her sharp canine teeth. She looked at Yun Xuan, her voice unnaturally soft. "Do you know why I was saved by him?"

Yun Xuan instinctively felt something was wrong. Before he could reply, Qiu Shi made a gesture for him to be quiet, pressing her slender finger against her bright red lips. She was like a beautiful elf tempting people with her looks. "Remember White Cloud Ridge?"

It was actually a memory from their childhood. Yun Xuan frowned and took a few moments to recall before he finally found a faint trace of it.

"You ran pretty fast with the spiritual item. I was less lucky," Qiu Shi said in a long - drawn - out tone. "I almost died there."

"I was seriously injured when I met him this time. I just wanted to repay the favor, so I brought him back. Then all your rumors started spreading."

These words left Yun Xuan, the young Immortal King, speechless.

When he was young and impulsive, he always liked to act on his impulses. Back then, he just wanted to warn Qiu Shi a few times not to always make Mo Ruanruan cry. Who would have thought such a thing would happen?

He was also injured himself. After he went back, he didn't dare to tell anyone and secretly nursed his wounds for a while before he recovered.

Digging up such old scores made Yun Xuan a little uncomfortable. He stroked the bridge of his nose and said, "About what happened back then, it was me..."

Before he could finish saying "wrong", Qin Donglin, who was leaning against the table corner, seemed impatient. He said in a calm voice, "Let's go."

The matter here was almost settled. Qiu Shi didn't plan to stay any longer. She glanced at the Celestial Clan people and turned to walk towards the door. Qin Donglin slowly moved his steps. At a certain moment, he turned back, paused for a moment, and there was a cold glint in his deep pupils. "Regarding the Luyuan Secret Realm, the Celestial Clan should handle things properly."

It was clearly a gesture of causing trouble and not letting things go easily.

Everyone knew that Qin Donglin was a person who protected those close to him.

The sound of footsteps faded away.

Mo Changheng and Yun Xuan exchanged a look. The latter forced a smile and said, "I really didn't want to provoke him."

"Now, should we reconsider the plan to cooperate with them?"

Mo Changheng was also in a bad mood because of these unexpected events. He let out a long sigh and closed his eyes. "It's a win - win cooperation. As young lords, Song Yunhe and Qin Donglin also have to consider the other young talents in their clans. They're not stupid enough to miss out on the relic treasures because of some old and past events."