Chapter 481: The Opportunity Arises
'Gu Qingcheng' let out a bitter smile. She thought for a moment, then gently tapped the air with her finger, conjuring a small red bird. She then pulled out a piece of paper and wrote a few words with a charcoal pen, intending to send a message to Jin Xiaoqin to reassure her, so she wouldn’t worry about things spiraling out of control.
"Why can't I master the art of splitting myself?" she mused, lamenting the fact that Ye Wenxin and Gu Qingcheng could not appear simultaneously. As 'Gu Qingcheng' sat there, a faint sound came from behind her. She thought Lady Yu had awakened, but upon turning around, she found that Lady Yu seemed to be having a nightmare. Whatever she was dreaming about, it was causing her to struggle intensely. 'Gu Qingcheng' paused, realizing that Qiao Ni's tight embrace might be distressing Lady Yu. She gently moved Qiao Ni aside, allowing Lady Yu to breathe more easily.
Despite the faint sounds continuing, 'Gu Qingcheng' soon realized that Lady Yu had indeed awakened again. Acknowledging this, 'Gu Qingcheng' resumed her position, waiting for the interminable night to finally end.
The next day, Jin Xiaoqin explained to everyone how Ye Wenxin was urgently called back to the Cangyu Sect. Those familiar with Ye Wenxin felt relieved, though some unfamiliar faces harbored slight resentment, which Jin Xiaoqin managed to smooth over. She even set up a table of dishes at lunch to reward everyone for their hard work the previous night.
Lady Yu remained uneasy and confirmed the situation with Jin Xiaoqin. Jin Xiaoqin, equally in the dark, was fooled by the mention of "undercover" from 'Gu Qingcheng'. Since no one had informed her otherwise, Jin Xiaoqin believed Ye Wenxin was indeed fine.
'Gu Qingcheng' was grateful that Jin Xiaoqin had previously mentioned the topic of undercover work, sparing her from embarrassment during this unexpected incident. Standing in front of Lady Yu, she could sense Jin Xiaoqin's scrutinizing gaze.
Feigning ignorance, 'Gu Qingcheng' recalled Jin Xiaoqin's acting lessons, realizing her own shortcomings in performance. The current situation was a testament to 'Gu Qingcheng's' diligent study. Jin Xiaoqin, merely curious, eventually left with a worried expression.
The room returned to silence, and Qiao Ni, hearing of Ye Wenxin's overnight departure, felt displeased. They had just met, yet Ye Wenxin was eager to avoid them.
"Perhaps it’s because of that matter," Lady Yu comforted, recalling last night's events with Liu Churan, although Qiao Ni was unaware of the confrontation. She stayed by Lady Yu's side, watching her read, feeling increasingly bored.
"Xiao Hei, why don’t we go for a stroll?" Qiao Ni suggested.
'Gu Qingcheng' had attempted to separate from Qiao Ni in the morning but found it impossible to act independently. With Lady Yu's health limiting her mobility, the inn full of cultivators was the best place for her to recuperate. Thus, Qiao Ni ignored Lady Yu and sought 'Gu Qingcheng's' opinion.
'Gu Qingcheng' nodded, eager to visit the nearby library to find information on breaking the Yin-Yang Pearl's spell. Qiao Ni was thrilled, but given the events of last night, Lady Yu hesitated to let Qiao Ni go out with 'Gu Qingcheng'.
The two parted somewhat unhappily. Lady Yu, feeling helpless, eventually agreed to let Qiao Ni wander around, but only after nightfall. Lady Yu wanted to accompany Qiao Ni herself, feeling better in the evening. Additionally, she was wary of 'Gu Qingcheng', the stranger of unknown origin, and wanted to scrutinize her more closely.
