Dao Companion Crippled, Coveters Move

Chapter 93 - 92: The Dao Companion Is No Match for Shang Miaoyan, Leaving Peng Sword Immortal in Agony

The Dual Cultivation Method easily brings to mind Demonic Sects like the Yin Yang Sacred Land and the Joyful Zen Sect, so it has never had a good reputation.

Pei Yuhang had long considered how he would respond when Liyuan asked, "Ah Han, why are you so skilled at dual cultivation?"

He absolutely could not let a single word of his relationship with Shang Miaoyan get out!

Now, facing his Dao Companion's earnest scrutiny, Pei Yuhang's expression was calm and composed, showing not the slightest hint of panic.

He rubbed Ye Liyuan's head and explained, "This Dual Cultivation Method is actually part of the Heart Scripture I use to control my Yang Fire.

Its full name is the *Yang Emperor Heart Scripture*, an ancient legacy created by a supreme Great Power from the Divine Desolate Era. It's not one of the sordid techniques used by the Witches of the Yin Yang Sacred Land or the Flower Monks of the Joyful Zen Sect."

"A legacy from the Divine Desolate Era?! Ah Han, where did you get it? I don't recall you leaving the Sect to explore any Secret Realms this past year…"

Seeing that he had successfully diverted Ye Liyuan's attention, Pei Yuhang inwardly sighed in relief.

As for Ye Liyuan's second question, Pei Yuhang simply used Elder Liu as a scapegoat.

In any case, that lecherous old "pimp," Elder Liu, was on Shang Miaoyan's side, so Pei Yuhang didn't have to worry about any slips of the tongue should Ye Liyuan inquire.

After hearing Pei Yuhang's explanation, Ye Liyuan pulled him into a tight hug and whispered, "I'm sorry, Ah Han. I misunderstood… I thought you were practicing some kind of despicable Cultivation Technique…"

Faced with his Dao Companion's guilt, Pei Yuhang felt a bitter pang in his heart. 'I'm the one who should be sorry.'

Pei Yuhang gazed at the Dao Companion in his arms, his eyes filled with even more love and tenderness.

"Liyuan, how could I bear to be angry with you? It was my fault for not telling you sooner."

Pei Yuhang's words did little to assuage Ye Liyuan's guilt. She wanted to make it up to Ah Han with her actions.

And so, Ye Liyuan rose onto her tiptoes and whispered softly into her lover's ear.

"Ah Han, let Liyuan attend to you in your bath.

And besides… Liyuan hasn't held a sword in a long time. Let me use your sword, just to see if I've gotten rusty."

Her voice was laced with shyness, and she didn't dare look up at Pei Yuhang… Such a bold advance was a rarity for her.

However, a pair of large hands suddenly wrapped around her legs, scooping Ye Liyuan up in a princess carry.

"Liyuan, you said it. No backing out now, okay?"

Pei Yuhang smiled, carrying his Dao Companion toward the bathing pool.

......

After soothing the exhausted Liyuan to sleep, Pei Yuhang slipped carefully out of the room and gently closed the door.

His gentle expression gradually faded, his brow furrowing in what seemed to be great anxiety.

It was because—

While watching Liyuan "wield the sword" just now, he'd felt that his intent was not clear. His Sword Qi couldn't be roused to strike at all.

Liyuan's sword technique was incredibly crude. Worse, her stamina was so poor due to her frail constitution that she struggled just to lift the frenzied and ferocious Dragon-Slaying Heavy Sword.

'The purity… It's too low. She can't earn the Sword Spirit's recognition at all.'

His own Dao Companion was unable to earn the recognition of his Sword Spirit.

This caused Pei Yuhang immense pain.

And yet… he subconsciously recalled the technique of that woman, Shang Miaoyan. 'I don't want to admit it,' he thought. 'Thinking of that shameless, detestable Demoness while watching Liyuan wield the sword is an insult to my Dao Companion. How could a Witch like her possibly compare to my Fairy Liyuan…?'

But the fact Pei Yuhang could not accept was that Shang Miaoyan's swordsmanship had reached the Grandmaster Realm. It was far beyond what Liyuan, with her clumsy, novice-like attempts, could ever hope to match.

Hands, feet, even her lips and teeth—every part of her body could perfectly command the frenzied, ferocious Dragon-Slaying Heavy Sword, a weapon most people couldn't even grip with two hands. She was a natural-born Sword Immortal.

That's right. The Dragon-Slaying Heavy Sword, arguably the greatest in the world, was a weapon most people couldn't even lift. Yet Shang Miaoyan could not only lift it, but could also, with all manner of flourishes, make it unleash an unparalleled, surging torrent of Sword Qi…

As much as Pei Yuhang hated to admit it, his Sword Spirit clearly enjoyed Shang Miaoyan's handling more than Ye Liyuan's.

'But—how can I possibly believe that!'

Pei Yuhang clenched his fists, walking under the moonlight, lost in confusion.

'Could it be… that Shang Miaoyan has already dragged me into a bottomless mire, and I'm now completely submerged?'

Pei Yuhang slammed his fist against his body twice, as if cursing his flesh for its weakness, for betraying his spirit and his faith in pure love.

'This is agony… My Dao Companion gives it her all, yet she still can't earn my sword's approval.'

'And yet that Witch can do it with ease.'

An unprecedented feeling of having betrayed his Dao Companion left Pei Yuhang feeling drained in body and soul.

In that moment, he perceived with utter clarity the permanent brand Shang Miaoyan had seared upon him.

"Master?"

The soft whisper made Pei Yuhang turn his head. A silver-haired girl was standing in the moonlight. Her silvery-white hair, which seemed to glow, blended with the fine snow that perpetually fell over the Cold Palace Sword Mansion, dancing as one with the night wind.

"Master, you seem… to be in a very bad mood. Can you tell Yueqiu about it?"

When Pei Yuhang only stared back, stunned, Qing Yueqiu asked again.

"…Oh, a bad mood? I don't think so. Your master has immense Magical Power. What could possibly trouble me?"

Pei Yuhang couldn't possibly tell his disciple everything, so he could only try to brush it off with a smile.

But Qing Yueqiu was not fooled by such a clumsy lie.

'But… if her master was unwilling to speak, could she force him to?'

And so, she too fell silent.

After a moment of silence between them, Pei Yuhang stepped closer and asked, "Yueqiu, it's so late. Why aren't you back in your room resting?"

"I couldn't sleep, so I thought I'd come out for a walk… and to let Luminous absorb a bit more of the Moonlight's Essence Qi."

Qing Yueqiu patted the sword at her waist, and the silvery-white Moonlight Spiritual Qi around it quivered like disturbed dust.

"A Spirit Sword that can automatically refine Moonlight. What a fine, low-maintenance blade."

Thinking of his own disappointing Sword Spirit, Bai Jingjing, Pei Yuhang couldn't help but feel like he was looking at someone else's overachieving child.

As Pei Yuhang watched the Luminous Shadow Sword absorb the Moonlight Essence, the silver-haired girl's face slowly began to flush.

Pei Yuhang was standing very close, so close that Qing Yueqiu could clearly smell the pleasant scent on him.

Qing Yueqiu felt herself once again enveloped by her master's scent, just like when she had been lying on his bedsheets that afternoon…

Deep within her heart, which felt smothered by something heavy,

something warm and sweet was about to burst forth from within her.

HUFF… HUFF…

Her heavy, heated breathing soon caught Pei Yuhang's attention.

But just as Pei Yuhang was about to look down and ask what was wrong, he heard Qing Yueqiu hastily say, "My apologies, Master, Yueqiu needs to go back and bathe," before scurrying away in a panic like a startled rabbit.