Chapter 1698. Please don’t laugh at me, Young Master Gu…

The night was deep, and the valley was exceptionally quiet, with only the faint glow of light seeping from Ling Yuling’s courtyard. The flickering light resembled beans, casting an ever-changing reflection of her face as she sat beside her bed.

Suddenly, Ling Yuling let out a faint sigh. She rose and walked to the window, looking out at the silent night. It was so still that even the chirping of insects was absent. Compared to the grand and majestic palaces and celestial halls, this valley felt unusually simple and serene, like a hermit’s retreat, which made it hard to associate it with the residence of the Lord of the Heaven-Slaying Alliance.

“Does he really think of me like that?” Ling Yuling gazed at the copper mirror beside her, seeing her delicate, water-like reflection. Her thoughts began to wander, and she remembered the events from that day in the valley, a mixture of helplessness and bitterness spreading across her face. The grievances she had once felt faded, and she slowly regained her calm. Compared to the repeated betrayals of her trust in Gu Changge, how could she still have the right to feel wronged?

At that moment, Ling Yuling recalled many things. Long ago, she and her sister were born into a wealthy family, living a life of luxury and comfort. When she was four years old, a woman claiming to be a Taoist hermit from Xiantai Mountain came to their home, taking her and her sister with her, saying that they had an extraordinary celestial destiny and would learn the art of immortality, destined to reach the pinnacle of the immortal path.

Later, she and her sister arrived at Xiantai Mountain and began their training under this woman. When their cultivation had made some progress, and they had the chance to leave the mountain to resolve their mortal ties, they discovered that the world had already passed a thousand years. Their parents had long passed away, and after the Taoist took them, a brother was born in their family. A thousand years had passed, and their once noble family had risen to the peak of the mortal world, gaining titles and glory.

In the years that followed, she and her sister remained in Xiantai Mountain, focusing solely on their cultivation, disconnected from the world. They later learned that Xiantai Mountain was considered a forbidden place by cultivators in the cultivation world, isolated from the mortal realm, transcending all worldly affairs.

When the dark disaster swept across various universes, affecting the vast realms, they were summoned to join the countless armies fighting against the Lord of Heaven and the black disaster. Ling Yuling’s mind stirred, and numerous distant memories flooded her mind. The alliances formed to protect the vast realms were driven by a fearless, selfless determination, willing to sacrifice their lives to stop the terrifying chaos. Only those who lived through that era could understand her feelings and beliefs. After all, how could she take such great risks to organize the Xiyuan Alliance?

Ling Yuling sighed again, her thoughts scattered. Suddenly, a faint scent of wine wafted through the gap in the window. She paused for a moment, surprised.

Creak…

Outside, the moon had crossed the third roof beam. After hesitating for a moment, Ling Yuling stepped outside, opening the courtyard gate, and walked to the valley. Beneath a peach tree, the peach blossoms were in full bloom, some petals had fallen, making them stand out even in the moonlight. There, Gu Changge sat, drinking alone. He wore a simple moon-white robe, his hair loose, leaning against the peach tree, looking relaxed like a nobleman who had drunk too much wine.

Ling Yuling looked at the scene in front of her, slightly stunned. It was expected, yet somewhat unexpected and surprising. She knew Gu Changge was drinking because she could already smell the wine, but it was the first time she had seen him in such a lazy, slightly tipsy state.

No matter the time, Gu Changge always appeared perfect in front of others, at least when she saw him—like a flawless figure from a painter’s brush, almost unreal. This scene, with a touch of realness to it, still had a significant impact on her.

However, Ling Yuling didn’t look for long. She lowered her gaze slightly, feeling her cheeks redden a little, though it seemed impossible to notice under the night’s cover.

“Still awake in the middle of the night? I thought you’d already gotten used to the routines of an ordinary person,” Gu Changge said, still drinking on his own, seemingly unsurprised by Ling Yuling’s presence.

“Does Young Master Gu have something on his mind?” Ling Yuling hesitated for a moment but still walked over. Although the shackles on her feet were heavy, she had grown used to them over time, and they no longer affected her movements.

“Nothing special. Just having a few drinks,” Gu Changge glanced at her sideways. “Do you want to drink with me?”

“I actually don’t drink much,” Ling Yuling quickly shook her head. But then she thought it might seem rude to decline and hesitated before adding, “But, I can drink a few cups with Young Master Gu.”

At this moment, she suddenly recalled Gu Changge’s cold and direct words from earlier in the day. Worried he might misunderstand again, she added, “I don’t mean anything else, it’s just…”

“Just what? Just worried you might spoil my mood?” Gu Changge said, interrupting her as if he knew exactly what was on her mind.

Ling Yuling fell silent, unsure of how to respond.

“Can’t you be more straightforward like your sister? Just say what’s on your mind, and hiding things will only make it more complicated,” Gu Changge said, picking up his glass, swirling it a bit, and then drinking it in one gulp.

Ling Yuling felt somewhat embarrassed by his words. Quietly, she filled his empty glass with more wine.

“Young Master Gu, your relationship with Yuxian seems quite good…” She had always kept her sister away from Gu Changge, hoping they’d distance themselves, fearing that her sister might encounter some kind of danger. But what was the result? Yet again, it felt like a slap to her face.

“More than just good,” Gu Changge seemed to smile suddenly, rubbing his glass. “If you knew your sister’s emotional attachment was directed at me, how would you feel?”

Ling Yuling wasn’t particularly surprised. She filled the nearby empty cup with more wine, speaking softly, “I already expected it. Yuxian has had signs of it for a long time. Moreover, we share a special connection, and I can sense some of her emotions and thoughts…”

“Then why didn’t you stop her?” Gu Changge lifted his gaze and looked at her face.

Ling Yuling hadn’t expected him to ask such a question. Could it be that he was also troubled by it? It seemed her sister was indeed pining for him, while the goddess was intent, but the king was indifferent.

“Yuxian’s feelings, I couldn’t stop them. Moreover, I’ve tried to stop her before, but it didn’t work,” she admitted honestly.

Gu Changge suddenly burst into laughter, drinking the wine in his cup in one go. “You’re surprisingly honest tonight.”

Ling Yuling tried to imitate him, tilting her long, snow-white neck, attempting to drink it all at once. However, without her magical power, she choked, her face turning bright red as she coughed incessantly. The crystal-clear wine spilled down her neck, soaking her clothes.

“Since you can’t drink, why try to imitate me?” Gu Changge shook his head slightly, looking at her with a sense of helplessness as she appeared in such a disheveled state.

He then took out a clean embroidered handkerchief from his chest and handed it to her.

Ling Yuling was still coughing, her delicate face flushed with a rosy hue. It took her a moment to recover, but she still felt incredibly embarrassed.

“Please don’t laugh at me, Young Master Gu…” she murmured, accepting the handkerchief and lowering her head to wipe away the wine from her neck and clothes, trying to restore her image.

“If you can’t drink, then don’t drink so much. Being stubborn isn’t a good thing. Being gentle doesn’t mean it’s a bad thing,” Gu Changge said calmly, swirling his wine glass and looking at her.

Learning from her earlier mistake, Ling Yuling became more cautious when drinking. She took small sips, finally starting to understand the enjoyment of drinking.

Moreover, she had to admit, the wine Gu Changge drank was extraordinary. Even without her magical power, she could still feel the overwhelming power of the laws and the primal force within it.

Surprisingly, the injury to her original source, which had been inflicted by Gu Changge during the battle at the Xiyuan Alliance, seemed to be healing quietly as well. Although her external injuries had healed, the damage to her origin had remained unhealed, and with her current lack of magical power, she couldn’t heal herself.

Every night around this time, the injury to her origin would flare up again, and the pain was not to be underestimated. It could make even the most resolute people cry out in agony. The fact that Ling Yuling could face this pain without a change in expression or demeanor showed just how steadfast her heart was.

However, she now had some doubts. Was the wine Gu Changge had prepared for tonight specifically for her? Could his cold and hurtful words from earlier in the day have been the reason he used “drinking” to help her heal her injuries?

As the night grew deeper, Ling Yuling didn’t expect that talking about her sister would bring her closer to Gu Changge. His attitude towards her was no longer as cold as it had been during the day. He had even kindly handed her the handkerchief earlier and hadn’t mocked her for her awkwardness.

All of these things showed that there was still room for her and Gu Changge to improve their relationship.

With the courage brought by the wine and the sudden surge of boldness, Ling Yuling also took the opportunity to explain the events from earlier in the day, hoping to avoid any misunderstandings from Gu Changge. Although he didn’t say anything further, Ling Yuling could feel that he believed what she said.

This made her feel much lighter and even happier.

Gu Changge seemed to be surprised by her sudden honesty and directness, and he asked a few questions, including about the process of organizing the Xiyuan Alliance.

In order to make him believe in her sincerity, Ling Yuling answered these questions without reservation.

To this day, she still didn’t know which faction had interfered with the Alliance’s golden scroll, setting a trap to harm Gu Changge. The reason she had chosen to stop the steps of the Heaven-Slaying Alliance was because she feared that the Xiyuan Civilization would follow in the footsteps of those civilizations from the Black Disaster era, as she had witnessed the brutality and terror of that time.

Letting go of previous prejudices and misunderstandings, Ling Yuling felt less restrained in her conversation with Gu Changge.

Many topics and events began to unfold naturally as Ling Yuling spoke. She subtly realized that Gu Changge’s original intention behind establishing the Heaven-Slaying Alliance did not seem to be driven by ambition to unite the entire Vast Realm or to overthrow the authority of the Heavenly Dao. Instead, it seemed that his true purpose was simply to “slay the heavens.”

This realization shocked and stunned her. Perhaps her sister, Ling Yuxian, had already known this, which was why she firmly believed that the appearance of the Heaven-Slaying Alliance could not bring great disaster to the Xiyuan Civilization. His purpose, as always, was simple and direct.

In the face of such an unbelievable and unimaginable feat as “slaying the heavens,” the ideas of unifying the entire Vast Realm or overthrowing the Heavenly Dao seemed petty and short-sighted.

As the night wore on, Ling Yuling lost track of how many cups of wine she had drunk. What she did remember was opening up to Gu Changge, speaking about many things concerning her and her sister. She talked about how, when she was four years old, a female Taoist took her and her sister to cultivate, and how when they first descended the mountain, a thousand years had passed, their parents were already gone, and the world had changed. She also spoke of the great battles she had participated in, fighting against the Lord of Heaven’s forces…

In the end, she had truly gotten drunk—so drunk she lost consciousness.

When Ling Yuling woke up again, the sun had already risen high in the sky. The bright light outside the window was a bit blinding, making it hard for her to open her eyes. She could only stretch out her delicate, jade-like hand to shield them.

As her slightly dazed vision began to focus, her eyes landed on some scattered clothes and garments by the bedside. The room was filled with a strong scent of alcohol, mixed with other unfamiliar odors.

Holding her aching head, Ling Yuling tried to recall the scene from last night when she had gotten drunk. This was the first time in countless years that she had drunk to the point of oblivion. Now, her head was a complete mess, like dough that had been stirred together.

“My cultivation has recovered…” Ling Yuling noticed that her cultivation had indeed returned. Not only that, but the shackles on her feet had disappeared. However… getting out of bed was a bit difficult.

She froze for a moment, her blurry eyes suddenly widening in realization, struggling to come to terms with what had happened. After her cultivation returned, the fragmented memories of last night’s drunken state flashed through her mind like a revolving lantern.

Ling Yuling remained stunned for a long time, and when she finally snapped out of it, she gazed at the scattered clothes around her and felt a wave of dizziness.

“What on earth did I do last night…?” she murmured, pressing her forehead. Her gaze became complicated as she looked at the blood-red spot on the bedding, a fallen plum blossom.

The valley was eerily quiet, filled with the fragrance of peach blossoms. Petals drifted down, brilliant and beautiful. Mu Yan had gone to meet Luo Xiangjun as planned, while Yao Yao was still refining the Fortune Furnace.

Ling Yuling dressed herself and tidied up her appearance until she looked just like she always did, then slowly, with a slight limp, she walked out of the room. However, today, she unexpectedly encountered another familiar, uninvited guest in the valley.

It was Xiyuan Saintess’s senior sister, Xi Yin.

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