Chapter 7

Luo Han had unwittingly stumbled upon a juicy piece of drama—apparently, the male and female protagonists were passionately exchanging eternal vows. If Luo Han remembered correctly, this Yinyue, mentioned by the male lead, was none other than the female protagonist’s notorious rival: Yinyue, niece of Ling Qingxiao’s foster mother, Su Yifang, and the esteemed young miss of the Linshan Yinglong clan.
Su Yinyue was a well-known ruthless character in the novel. As the male lead’s cousin, childhood friend, and sweetheart, she had repeatedly challenged the heroine’s status, ultimately driving her to miscarriage.
Yinyue managed all this partly because of her advantageous family position and partly due to her frail health. Just as crying babies got more milk, delicate and sickly individuals easily won the affection and sympathy of elders. Ling Zhongyu had been pampered for similar reasons, and so had Yinyue.
From the beginning, both Su Yifang’s family and Yinyue’s parents desired a marriage between her and Ling Zhongyu. Even Ling Qingxiao’s scum father tacitly approved. Although it was later revealed that Ling Qingxiao, rather than Ling Zhongyu, was Yinyue’s true cousin, Yinyue’s attachment to Ling Zhongyu remained unchanged. Conversely, she showed indifference toward Ling Qingxiao and passionately pursued Ling Zhongyu, dreaming of becoming his bride since childhood.
The noble yet sickly cousin openly adored him, and though Ling Zhongyu always claimed to feel only sibling affection, he consistently favored and spoiled her. Yinyue often pretended weakness to interrupt his dates with the heroine, sowing discord and even setting malicious traps. Eventually, Ling Zhongyu went as far as hanging the heroine on a city wall under the scorching sun, attempting to dig out her heart to save Yinyue’s life.
To be so malicious and still favored was quite impressive. Fortunately, at this stage, Yinyue had not yet intervened too deeply in their relationship. Now, after the misunderstanding, the male lead chased after the heroine, frantically making vows to reconcile. Luo Han, recalling future events, felt a trace of mockery as she reread Ling Zhongyu's righteous vow.
Men really were unreliable. If his feelings were truly only brotherly, why would he later end up with Yinyue in bed?
As expected, pigs might sooner fly than men keep their promises. Luo Han suddenly wondered—what about Ling Qingxiao?
Had Ling Qingxiao ever made any vows or promises to another woman?
With a mixture of curiosity and vague anticipation, Luo Han typed the villain's name into the search function. Yet, disappointingly, the result came back empty.
Refusing to give up, she expanded the search parameters, including wishes and prayers as well. The system displayed “Searching…” for a few seconds, then finally refreshed.
The result was still zero.
Luo Han felt truly surprised. Ling Qingxiao looked like someone who was utterly indifferent and detached—if he didn't fall in love, she could understand, but had he never even made a single wish in a thousand years? Was it because he was overly confident, believing he'd achieve his goals without needing to rely on wishes, or overly pessimistic, knowing his wishes would never come true?
Perhaps she had guessed wrong, or maybe, it was a bit of both.
With a sigh, Luo Han glanced toward the neighboring room. Separated by just a wall, Ling Qingxiao was surely meditating again.
He lived far too methodically, as precise as a machine. Luo Han couldn't help but let out a soft sigh.
If even a genius like him worked so hard, what reason did she have not to cultivate seriously? Encouraging herself, Luo Han drew back the quilt, preparing to sleep.
Tonight was too tiring. Tomorrow, she would definitely cultivate earnestly!
The next morning, Luo Han was woken from deep slumber by a piercing sound. With bleary eyes, she fumbled around to find the source, only to realize it was coming from her bracelet.
What kind of demons were her parents to even include an alarm function?!
She hastily silenced it, but now fully awake, Luo Han simply decided to get up.
The great thing about the cultivation world was its liberation from mundane chores—clothing automatically cleaned itself, and even beds neatly folded themselves. While directing the washbasin to fill with water using her divine sense, Luo Han mused that she should ask Ling Qingxiao to teach her some cleansing techniques. Once she learned those, she wouldn't even have to wash her face anymore.
Soon enough, Luo Han tidied herself into a perfect fairy. Admiring her reflection in the mirror for a bit longer, she reluctantly donned a veil.
Both the veil and long curtain hat had been prepared by Ling Qingxiao. He’d bought them the day before and directly arranged their delivery to her room through a transmission formation. In the immortal realm, white signified elegance, so everything he'd selected was pristine white. The curtain hat reached down to her knees, completely obscuring her figure and face.
Considering she needed to eat soon, Luo Han opted for the veil instead of the hat.
After stepping out, she immediately approached Ling Qingxiao's room. As soon as she arrived, the door silently swung open from inside.
Ling Qingxiao stood there, composed and serene. "Is something the matter?"
Seeing such a celestial face first thing in the morning was indeed pleasing. Luo Han smiled sheepishly and asked, "Would you like to go downstairs for breakfast?"
Human language was indeed profound—Luo Han had phrased her invitation carefully. She didn't directly say she was hungry; instead, she politely invited Ling Qingxiao to join her. Of course, Ling Qingxiao had long ceased to need food, and she herself didn't have any money on hand.
Well, you understand.
Ling Qingxiao nodded lightly, closing his door and accompanying her downstairs.
Since both of them had extremely striking appearances, Ling Qingxiao specifically booked a private room to avoid unnecessary attention. Unfortunately, the inn was not very luxurious, and the soundproofing of their room was mediocre at best. Soon, vague conversations drifted in from the neighboring compartment.
"...Did you hear? A scandal erupted in the Ling family of Mount Zhong—apparently the legitimate heir and an illegitimate son were secretly switched!"
"What? You mean the dragon clan’s Ling family?"
"Of course! Who else in the Middle Eighteen Heavens would I be talking about? Even the lowest immortals in the lower realms wouldn't mix up their bloodlines these days. Who could've imagined that the proud dragon clan, so obsessed with purity, would make such a humiliating mistake? The legitimate and illegitimate sons have been swapped for a thousand years! Had it not been exposed by the Demon-Subduing Lightning Tribulation, who knows how long it would've continued?"
"Demon-Subduing Lightning?" The other voice was filled with shock. "The Dragon clan has always produced the Celestial Emperors, and yet they've allowed a demon’s bloodline among their ranks?"
The original speaker quickly hushed him, aware they had overstepped. Neither the Celestial Emperornor the dragon clan were topics suitable for casual gossip among scattered immortals. Their voices faded to low whispers.
Luo Han discreetly glanced at Ling Qingxiao. So, the news of him being swapped with Ling Zhongyu had already spread throughout the immortal realm. Even a remote town on the border of the lower and middle realms had begun gossiping.
Even among ordinary humans, mixing up children was a scandal—let alone in the immortal world. Everyone here had divine senses and spiritual powers, and every little thing could easily be detected. With various formations and barriers everywhere, theoretically, such a low-level mistake as mixing up heirs should never happen.
But it had, right in the closely guarded inner courtyard of the main wife. Clearly, who the instigator was couldn’t be more obvious.
Back when reading the novel, Luo Han had been furious with Ling Qingxiao’s scum father for favoring the illegitimate son to such an extent. As for Ling Qingxiao, the victim, how painful must it have been for him.
The main wife, Su Yifang, had tormented Ling Qingxiao, unaware he was her true son—her behavior might be excusable. Even the concubine Bai Lingluan, who preferred her own biological child, was understandable. But Ling Xianhong, as a father, watched Su Yifang torment Ling Qingxiao and did nothing. What was he thinking?
Luo Han sighed inwardly. Yet Ling Qingxiao sat upright, looking indifferent, as if the gossip had nothing to do with him at all. Luo Han wanted to comfort him but feared it would backfire. So, instead, she poured him a cup of spirit tea, saying, "Let me offer you this tea to thank you for bringing me safely out of the Abyss."
Ling Qingxiao glanced down, his lashes casting a slight shadow. Calmly, he replied, "You were the one who opened the passage."
Luo Han’s smile froze slightly. See, that’s how you end a conversation. No wonder Ling Qingxiao was a supporting character—while the male lead sweet-talked the heroine, whispering romantic promises left and right, Ling Qingxiao could kill an entire conversation with a single sentence.
She raised her eyebrows, maintaining a smile, and persisted, "Even so, you saved me first. I must thank you."
Ling Qingxiao remained indifferent, objectively replying, "It was merely a transaction. You owe me nothing."
Fine. Luo Han suppressed her annoyance and continued eating, expression cold. She was trying to comfort him out of goodwill, yet he called it merely a transaction.
He truly was emotionally inept, wasn't he?
Throughout her meal, Ling Qingxiao quietly sat beside her, neither urging nor disturbing. When Luo Han offered him dishes midway through, Ling Qingxiao declined each time.
Upon reaching Ling Immortal cultivation, immortals completely transcended mortal desires—needing neither food nor sleep. But that didn't mean they couldn't indulge. Many immortals, still craving mortal pleasures, would enjoy food made from spirit herbs and divine beasts. Such carefully refined dishes contained no impurities and even aided cultivation.
Of course, this meal cost quite a substantial number of spirit stones.
Luo Han thoroughly enjoyed her meal, savoring every bite. But from beginning to end, Ling Qingxiao remained completely unmoved, sitting there as precise and disciplined as a perfectly calibrated machine—self-controlled to the point of boredom.
When Luo Han had finished eating, Ling Qingxiao called the innkeeper over to settle the bill. The shopkeeper, who already had a deep impression of these two extraordinary guests, greeted them enthusiastically. "Greetings, honored immortals. Was the meal to your satisfaction?"
At times like these, Luo Han knew she couldn't rely on Ling Qingxiao to respond, so she politely answered herself, "Everything was excellent, thank you for your hospitality."
Seeing Luo Han’s pleasant response, the shopkeeper smiled even more brightly, clearly delighted to talk to such a beautiful immortal maiden. "Oh, no need to thank me! May I inquire how long you intend to stay? Are you two here for the Biyun Secret Realm, perhaps?"
Luo Han paused in surprise. "Biyun Secret Realm?"
"Yes, exactly," the shopkeeper replied, also looking surprised that Luo Han hadn't heard of it. "I assumed you two specifically came for it."
Now curious, Luo Han asked, "Could you tell us a bit about this Biyun Secret Realm?"
The innkeeper instantly adopted an expression full of pride and excitement. "The Biyun Secret Realm is extraordinary! There are thousands of secret realms scattered throughout the middle heavens, but Biyun is truly one-of-a-kind. It's abundant in wood-elemental spiritual energy, rich in rare treasures, and especially famous for the extremely rare Crane Orchid!"
Luo Han smiled politely, following along. "And...what exactly is this Crane Orchid?"
The shopkeeper widened his eyes slightly in surprise again. Luo Han quickly explained, "It's my first time traveling away from home with my older brother, so we’re unfamiliar with many things. We'd greatly appreciate it if you could explain a bit more."
Brother and sister? Hearing this, Ling Qingxiao’s gaze shifted slightly, silently glancing at Luo Han, but he remained quiet and said nothing.
Accepting her explanation without doubt, the shopkeeper's expression softened in understanding. No wonder these two looked so remarkable—they were siblings! He quickly explained, "The Crane Orchid is an exceedingly rare medicine, renowned for repairing damaged meridians. Although there are many precious medicines in the immortal realm, very few can effectively restore damaged meridians. Even severely damaged meridians can be restored to perfect condition using the Crane Orchid. Meridians directly affect cultivation progress, so everyone wants to keep some on hand, if not for themselves, then at least for their descendants. Naturally, its demand is exceptionally high. With the Biyun Secret Realm now opening, countless cultivators have traveled great distances hoping to obtain it."
Understanding dawned on Luo Han. No wonder there was so much excitement recently—it was all about this medicinal herb. After thanking the shopkeeper and sending him away, Luo Han immediately turned to Ling Qingxiao with bright eyes. "Shall we go have a look?"
She vividly remembered how Ling Qingxiao’s meridians had suffered severe damage. Although she had given him the Bodhi Tree essence, that surely couldn't match the effectiveness of a specialized herb like the Crane Orchid.
Ling Qingxiao’s expression became serious, and he asked, "Are your meridians injured?"
"Of course not." Luo Han gave him an exasperated look. "I meant it for you!"
Ling Qingxiao froze momentarily. He’d assumed she was thinking of herself, yet unexpectedly, it was actually for him?
When Ling Qingxiao realized this, his instinctive reaction was refusal. "It's unnecessary."
"How can injuries to your meridians be unnecessary?" Luo Han insisted firmly, "You're cultivating all the time. If you don't completely heal the hidden injuries in your meridians, won't you be in pain whenever you circulate your spiritual energy?"
"It’s really not a serious injury," Ling Qingxiao hesitated, adding, "In fact, I wouldn't even call it an injury. You currently have no cultivation, and entering the secret realm could be dangerous for you. There's no need to go after the Crane Orchid unless absolutely necessary."
"Your issues are absolutely necessary," Luo Han interrupted him decisively. "Besides, we have nowhere special to go right now. Why not explore the secret realm? I've never seen one before."
Since Luo Han had spoken so determinedly, Ling Qingxiao couldn't argue further. In truth, he really didn’t consider it a serious injury.
Dragons naturally had powerful bodies; any non-lethal injury would eventually heal by itself. He'd become accustomed to injuries from a young age, but this time, having his dragon core forcibly removed had left lasting damage. Although a divine pearl now occupied the place of his original dragon core, the occasional pain was tolerable compared to before. Compared to that, minor injuries to his meridians were nothing at all.
When he was young, Su Yifang often withheld his cultivation resources, forcing him to work twice as hard to keep up. At that time, his methods had been immature, frequently causing severe meridian injuries—far worse than the current situation. Moreover, after being treated with Bodhi essence, the injuries this time were far lighter. He genuinely didn’t consider them significant.
Yet Luo Han insisted on entering the secret realm to find this precious herb, just for him.
Ling Qingxiao felt it was slightly exaggerated, yet strangely, he also felt somewhat confused.
In the past, treatment like this always belonged to Ling Zhongyu. Ling Qingxiao had grown used to watching Ling Zhongyu monopolize the best resources, take the best spiritual items, and have the whole family fussing over him at the slightest injury. Meanwhile, Ling Qingxiao always quietly stepped aside, left to survive on his own, forever yielding to Ling Zhongyu’s every whim.
He had never imagined there would come a day when someone would insist on venturing into a secret realm, purely to heal his minor injuries.
Ling Qingxiao fell silent, momentarily lost in thought. Luo Han had already donned her veil, excitedly asking, "If we're exploring the secret realm, shouldn't we prepare some medicinal pills and supplies?"
Ling Qingxiao came back to himself and sighed softly at this eager child. "Yes, naturally."
Luo Han was practically bouncing with anticipation. She’d only read about the protagonists exploring secret realms in novels—never imagining that one day she’d actually be doing it herself! She eagerly prepared to rush out to purchase supplies, but Ling Qingxiao calmly raised his hand and created a wall of ice in front of her.
"Go back and wear your veil hat."
"...Fine."