Chapter 1337: Ling Yuling Bares Her Heart, An Unfamiliar Yet Familiar Guest
Chapter 1337: Ling Yuling Bares Her Heart, An Unfamiliar Yet Familiar Guest
The night was deep, and the empty valley lay in utter silence. A faint light still flickered from Ling Yuling's courtyard.
The flickering, bean-sized lamplight cast shifting shadows across her face as she sat by the bedside. Suddenly, she let out a soft sigh, rose, and walked to the window, gazing out at the silent night—so quiet that not even the chirping of insects could be heard.
Compared to the grand and majestic palaces and Immortal Towers elsewhere, this valley was exceptionally simple and secluded, more like a hermit's retreat in the mortal world. It was hard to imagine it as the dwelling of the leader of the Heavenslayers Alliance.
"Is that... really how he sees me?"
Ling Yuling's gaze drifted to the side, where a bronze mirror reflected her slender figure, delicate as a flower reflected in water.
Her thoughts wandered, recalling the events that had unfolded in the valley earlier that day. A trace of helplessness and bitterness surfaced on her face.
The resentment she had felt earlier had faded, and she had gradually regained her composure. Compared to how she had repeatedly betrayed Gu Changge's trust, what right did she have to wallow in self-pity?
At this moment, countless memories flooded her mind.
Long, long ago, she and her younger sister had been born into a wealthy family, living in luxury and comfort since childhood. But when she was four years old, a female Daoist who claimed to be a recluse from Xiantai Mountain suddenly arrived at their home and took them away, declaring that they possessed peerless immortal potential. She promised they would learn the methods of longevity and one day reach the pinnacle of the immortal path.
Later, she and her sister arrived at Xiantai Mountain and began cultivating under the guidance of that female Daoist.
By the time their cultivation had reached a modest level and they had the chance to descend the mountain to sever their mortal ties, they discovered that a thousand years had already passed in the outside world.
Their parents had long since turned to dust. After they were taken away, their family had welcomed a younger brother. A millennium later, their once-mortal lineage had risen to the pinnacle of worldly nobility, with titles of lords and ministers, basking in glory.
In the years that followed, she and her sister continued cultivating on Xiantai Mountain, detached from worldly affairs, almost completely cut off from the outside world.
Only later did they learn that, in the eyes of the cultivation world, Xiantai Mountain was a forbidden land beyond the mundane world—a place detached from the boundless red dust, transcending all realms.
It wasn't until the Black Disaster swept through the cosmos, ravaging the Worlds of the Boundless Expanse, that they were called upon to join the countless armies that rose to oppose the Master of Heaven’s Proxy Group and suppress the calamity.
Ling Yuling's thoughts churned as distant memories surged through her mind.
Back then, the alliance they had formed to protect the Worlds of the Boundless Expanse and forge the covenant had been driven by a fearless determination—one that pressed forward despite death, wave after wave. Only with such resolve had they managed to halt that terrifying catastrophe, ultimately sealing the Master of Heaven’s Proxy Group and bringing an end to the Black Disaster Era.
Only those who had lived through that era could truly understand her feelings and convictions. Otherwise, why would she have risked everything to organize the Primary Hope Covenant?
Ling Yuling sighed softly, lost in thought, when suddenly, the faint aroma of wine drifted in through the window.
She froze for a moment.
Creak...
Outside, the moonlight had already passed the third eave of the roof. After a brief hesitation, Ling Yuling stepped out of her room, pushed open the courtyard gate, and walked into the valley.
Beneath a peach tree, the blossoms bloomed brilliantly, their petals drifting down in scattered beauty, vivid even under the moonlight. And there, leaning against the tree, sat Gu Changge, drinking alone.
He wore a simple moon-white inner robe, his hair loose and unbound, exuding an air of lazy indulgence—like a noble young master slightly tipsy after wine.
Ling Yuling stared at the scene, momentarily stunned. It was both expected and yet unexpected.
She had known Gu Changge was drinking—she had smelled the wine—but this was the first time she had seen him in such a relaxed, almost drunken state.
No matter the occasion, Gu Changge always maintained a flawless, impeccable image in front of others—at least, in all the times she had seen him. He was like a painting without blemish, so perfect it felt unreal.
This glimpse of him with a touch of genuine imperfection struck her with unexpected force.
Still, Ling Yuling didn't stare for long. She lowered her gaze slightly, her cheeks faintly warm, though the night likely concealed it.
"Not sleeping so late? I thought you'd have adjusted to the routine of an ordinary person by now."
Gu Changge continued drinking, seemingly unsurprised by her arrival.
"Do you have something on your mind, Young Master Gu?"
After a moment's hesitation, Ling Yuling walked over. Though the shackles on her feet were heavy, she had grown accustomed to them over time, and they no longer hindered her movements.
"Just passing the time with a few drinks."
Gu Changge glanced at her sideways. "Care to join me?"
"I... I'm not much of a drinker."
Ling Yuling quickly shook her head, but then, worried she might dampen his mood, she hesitated before adding, "But... I can share a few cups with you."
At that moment, she suddenly recalled the cold, direct words Gu Changge had spoken to her earlier in the day. Fearing another misunderstanding, she hastily clarified:
"I don't mean anything by it, I just—"
"Just what? Just worried you'll ruin my mood?"
Gu Changge cut her off, his tone indifferent, as if he already knew what she was thinking.
Ling Yuling fell silent, at a loss for words.
"Why can't you be more straightforward like your sister? Hiding things doesn't make them simpler."
Gu Changge swirled his cup before downing it in one go.
Ling Yuling felt a pang of shame at his words. Silently, she picked up the wine jug and refilled his empty cup.
"You and Yuxian seem to get along quite well..."
At first, she had tried to keep her sister as far away from Gu Changge as possible, even urging her to sever ties with him, fearing she might come to harm.
And yet, in the end, reality had slapped her in the face—repeatedly.
"'Quite well' is an understatement."
Hearing this, Gu Changge suddenly chuckled, rubbing the rim of his cup. "If you knew your sister's Tribulation of Love has fallen upon me, what would you think?"
Ling Yuling showed no surprise. She poured wine into another empty cup beside her and said softly, "I've long since expected it. Yuxian showed signs of it early on, and... we share a deep connection. I can sense some of her emotions and thoughts."
"If that's the case, why didn't you stop her?"
Gu Changge lifted his eyes, studying her face.
Ling Yuling hadn't anticipated this question. Could it be that even he finds this troublesome? It seemed her sister's feelings were truly one-sided—the goddess willing, but the king indifferent.
"I couldn't stop Yuxian's thoughts, and besides, I already tried—it didn't work." She confessed honestly.
Gu Changge suddenly burst into laughter, downing another cup of wine. "You're unexpectedly forthright tonight."
Ling Yuling mimicked his gesture, tilting her slender, snow-white neck back to drink in one go. But without her magic power, she choked violently, her face flushing red as she coughed uncontrollably.
Glittering droplets of wine trickled down her neck, soaking the front of her robes.
"If you can't hold your liquor, why force yourself?"
Gu Changge shook his head slightly, watching her disheveled state with faint exasperation.
Then, he retrieved a clean embroidered handkerchief from his sleeve and handed it to her.
Ling Yuling was still coughing, her fair skin flushed crimson. When she finally caught her breath, she couldn't help but feel utterly humiliated.
"Forgive me for making a fool of myself in front of you, Young Master Gu..."
She accepted the handkerchief and lowered her head, dabbing at the wine stains on her neck and robes, trying to salvage some dignity.
"If you can't drink, don't overdo it. Stubbornness isn't a virtue, and fragility isn't necessarily a flaw." Gu Changge swirled his cup leisurely, watching her with an unhurried gaze.
Having learned her lesson, Ling Yuling sipped cautiously afterward, finally beginning to appreciate the subtle pleasures of wine.
Moreover, she had to admit—the wine Gu Changge drank was extraordinary. Even without her magic power, she could sense the surging currents of rules and Source energy within it.
The injuries to her Source, sustained during the battle over the Primary Hope Covenant, actually began to heal quietly.
Her superficial wounds had long healed, but the damage to her Source had remained unhealed. Worse still, without magic power, she couldn't even regulate her own qi.
Every night at this hour, the Source injury would flare up—a pain so unbearable that even the most iron-willed would scream in agony.
The fact that Ling Yuling could endure it expressionlessly, as if it were nothing, spoke volumes about her mental fortitude.
Yet now, she couldn't help but wonder—had Gu Changge prepared this wine specifically for her?
Had his harsh words earlier been a deliberate act, only to use this "drinking session" as a means to heal her injuries?
The night deepened, and Ling Yuling hadn't expected that discussing her sister would bring her closer to Gu Changge. His attitude toward her was no longer as cold as it had been during the day.
Earlier, he had even handed her a handkerchief without mocking her for her disarray.
All of this suggested that there was still room for reconciliation between them.
Bolstered by the wine and a sudden surge of courage, Ling Yuling seized the opportunity to explain the events of the day, not wanting Gu Changge to misunderstand her.
Though he didn't respond much, she could sense that he believed her.
This lifted a weight off her heart, filling her with quiet relief.
Gu Changge, seemingly surprised by her sudden candor, asked her a few questions—including the circumstances behind the formation of the Primary Hope Covenant.
To prove her innocence, Ling Yuling answered everything truthfully.
Even now, she still didn't know which faction had tampered with the Golden Book of Covenant, setting up the trap to kill Gu Changge.
As for why she had opposed the Heavenslayers Alliance—it was because she feared the Primary Hope Civilisation would suffer the same fate as the many nations devastated during the Black Disaster Era. She had witnessed firsthand the horrors of that time.
Once their previous misunderstandings and prejudices were set aside, Ling Yuling found herself speaking more freely with Gu Changge.
Many topics and events flowed naturally between them.
She also faintly realized that Gu Changge's original purpose in establishing the Heavenslayers Alliance wasn't to use it as a banner for unifying the Boundless Expanse or usurping the Heavenly Dao Authority—but rather, it truly was for "slaying the heavens."
This discovery shocked her to the core.
Perhaps her younger sister, Ling Yuxian, had already known this, which was why she firmly believed the Heavenslayers Alliance wouldn't bring disaster to the Primary Hope Civilisation.
His goal had always been simple and direct.
In the face of such an unimaginable, earth-shattering ambition as "slaying the heavens," something as petty as unifying the Boundless Expanse or seizing the Heavenly Dao Authority seemed laughably short-sighted.
By the end, Ling Yuling lost count of how many cups she had drunk. She only remembered opening up to Gu Changge, telling him about her past with her sister—how they had been taken away by a female Daoist at the age of four to cultivate, how their first descent from the mountain revealed a thousand years had passed, how their parents were long gone, how the world had changed beyond recognition. She even spoke of the great battles she had fought in the campaign against the Heaven’s Proxy Group...
And then, at last—she was drunk. Hopelessly, utterly drunk.
When Ling Yuling woke again, the sun was already high in the sky.
The light streaming through the window was so bright it stung her eyes, forcing her to raise a jade-white hand to shield them.
Her blurred vision gradually sharpened, landing on the scattered robes and undergarments strewn across the bed.
The room reeked of alcohol, mingled with another, stranger scent.
Clutching her aching head, she struggled to recall the events of the previous night—the first time in countless years she had ever been drunk.
But her mind was a chaotic mess, like a tangled lump of dough.
"My cultivation... it's restored?"
Not only had her magic power returned, but the shackles on her ankles had also vanished. Except... getting out of bed proved difficult.
She froze.
Her dazed eyes widened abruptly, as if she couldn't quite process what had happened.
With her cultivation restored, the memories of last night flashed through her mind like a revolving lantern.
Ling Yuling remained motionless for a long, long time before she finally snapped back to reality, staring at the scattered garments around her. A wave of dizziness washed over her.
"How could I have done... such a thing last night?"
She pressed a hand to her forehead, murmuring to herself, her gaze complicated as it fell upon the single drop of crimson staining the bedsheets.
The valley was serene, bathed in the fragrance of peach blossoms. Petals drifted through the air like crystalline snowflakes, radiant and beautiful.
Mu Yan had gone to meet Luo Xiangjun as promised, while Yao Yao continued refining the Fortuitous Furnace.
Ling Yuling dressed herself, carefully arranging her appearance until she looked no different from usual. Then, limping slightly, she stepped out of the room.
But today, she was met with an unexpected and familiar intruder in the valley—
Xi Yin, the senior sister of the Primary Hope Saintess.