Chu Ruo and her party set off once more in a grand procession, returning to the Hundred Flowers Palace.
The wedding date was set for a day a month later—an auspicious day chosen to allow the various sects enough time to return home, recuperate, and then make the journey back. This time, they were determined that nothing would stand in their way.
One day, Chu Ruo mysteriously invited everyone—the four Great Protectors, Nan Yunshuang, Mo Fei, the Bai sisters, and essentially every friend she knew. She even considered inviting every disciple in the palace. Together, the group headed down the mountain to Guangjiang City.
Xiao Guo’er finally couldn't contain herself. "I say, where exactly are you taking us?"
"We’re here, we’re here!" Chu Ruo stood before a shop, hands on her hips, looking immensely proud. "Today, the drinks are on me."
"Muxue Pavilion," Nan Gongyan read the characters on the plaque aloud. "Oh, no wonder you were being so secretive."
Duan Ning chimed in, "I thought you were just talking, but you actually opened this place?"
"Of course. I’m very serious about this. The one in Tianyou is too far away. Opening one here makes it convenient for us to have a place to stay when we come down the mountain to play, doesn't it?"
Duan Ning whispered, "Why didn't you call it the Xueruo Pavilion?"
"It’s the same thing. Isn't 'Muxue'—Adoring Xue—a good name? I originally wanted to use the characters for 'Muxue' from her name, but I was afraid it would be too conspicuous. Besides, the Xueruo Pavilions that my Little Scorpion opened are for her intelligence network; it’s best not to let too many people know about them. So, Muxue Pavilion it is. I’ve already decided—from now on, none of you have to pay."
"My, my, how generous. I just wonder if someone will end up losing their entire fortune by the end of it."
"Pah! You—"
Nan Muxue pulled Chu Ruo inside, saying as they walked, "From now on, the Third Protector pays triple."
"You! That’s favoritism! Fine, I just won't come!"
"You must. When you come down the mountain, this is the only place you are permitted to stay."
"Hahaha, serves you right! Everyone, come in! I even invited Shen Shiyi, and of course, a few other old friends."
"They're all here!"
As the large group entered, they were greeted by several familiar faces. Bai Zhier was the first to speak. "It’s you?" It was actually Granny Hua and her group from the old Fortune Inn. It was truly unexpected.
"Hehe, it’s us. Long time no see, little girl. My boys and I will be stationed here from now on."
Chu Ruo walked over. "There’s no business to be had deep in those mountains. Granny Hua is getting on in years and worries about these children she raised, so since my shop needed help anyway..."
Bai Zhier joked, "A black-hearted inn, then?"
"Zhier, even you’re teasing me."
Granny Hua chuckled. "It all depends on what our Manager Chu says!"
"We had a deal—no more 'black inn' business. I have a reputation to maintain!"
This drew a round of laughter from everyone as they found a spacious area to sit. After three rounds of drinks, Chu Ruo stood up, raising a cup. "Everyone here today is my friend. Since I came to this world, aside from my Xue’er, you are the only people I’ve known. Along the way, you’ve all helped us to some degree, and some have even exhausted themselves for my sake." She looked toward the woman sitting diagonally across from her, her gaze full of gratitude. The other woman returned a gentle smile. "I keep all of this in my heart. This cup of wine is my toast to all of you. Thank you."
She drained the cup in one go. "I—"
"Hypocrite."
It was a cold sneer. Bai Zhier and Tu Aozi immediately tried to silence the speaker, but she rose without a care. "Why act so virtuous here? Who are you trying to impress by calling everyone together? You know full well how much my sister has done for you, yet now the whole world knows you’re marrying another woman..."
"Shanshan, shut up!"
"Why should I shut up? If you invited me, don't be afraid of hearing the truth."
"Enough. If you don't want to be here, then leave."
"Sister! Chu Ruo, you either marry my sister or..."
Chu Ruo frowned. "Are you quite finished?"
"What, now that you're the Martial Arts Alliance Leader, you're putting on airs? Do you think I’m afraid of you?"
Bai Zhier reached her limit and finally stood up. "You won't be quiet? Fine, then I’m leaving."
Bai Shan hurriedly moved to follow her, but as she left, she tossed back a meaningful remark. "Chu Ruo, I won't let you off this easily. This isn't over yet."
***
That night, Nan Muxue and her beloved strolled through the bustling market. Nan Muxue turned to look at her and smiled. "Usually you're so excited to come out, but now you're distracted."
"I’m not."
"Are you still thinking about what Bai Shan said?"
"It’s not the first time she’s said such things, but I don't feel at ease. I feel like she was different today. The wedding is so close... Xue’er, every time we try to get married, something bad happens."
Nan Muxue placed a slender finger gently against her lips. "No. This time, absolutely not."
"I hope I’m just being sensitive." Chu Ruo gave a helpless smile. "Our path to marriage has been so full of twists and turns; it’s hard not to worry."
Nan Muxue stood before her, took her hand, and then, in full view of the public, leaned into her embrace. "Ruo’er, nothing can separate us again. I am right here in your arms."
"I know." Chu Ruo stroked the back of her head. "You’d rather let the world revile you than let them know I’m a woman and despise me. Xue’er, I’m really looking forward to our future."
"In the future, we’ll buy manors in other places. Since you like going out, we’ll have places to stay."
"Planning ahead already?" To lighten the heavy atmosphere, Chu Ruo joked, "Then you should buy a brothel, and we can just live—"
Sure enough, the Little Scorpion’s face changed instantly. "Do you wish to have your eyes gouged out?"
*You vicious woman, trying to murder your husband before the wedding!* "Aha, I actually had something I wanted to ask you."
"Stop trying to change the subject."
Chu Ruo shook her hand, acting spoiled. "Wife~"
Nan Muxue turned her head away. "Speak."
"That thing you promised about letting me take a disciple... is it okay now?"
A glint of amusement flashed in Nan Muxue’s eyes. "Did I promise that?"
Chu Ruo immediately grew anxious. "How could you not? You promised me a long time ago! Xue’er, Xue’er~"
Unable to withstand the pestering, Nan Muxue finally relented. "We’ll talk about it after we return to the palace."
"Hehe, let’s go, let’s go! Back to the inn to rest."
***
Pain!
Chu Ruo bolted upright in bed, a sharp pain lancing through her arm. She was drenched in cold sweat, likely from a bad dream. Feeling a sudden need to relieve herself, she got up and went outside.
The moonlight had been beautiful lately. She glanced at the night sky, intending to return to the room, when the pain in her hand flared up again. *Damn it.* She pushed up her sleeve. *Damn it! Why am I bleeding?!*
"Does it hurt?"
Chu Ruo gritted out two words through clenched teeth. "Bai Shan."
Bai Shan smiled triumphantly, twirling a small dagger in her hand. "I’ll ask you one more time: will you marry my sister?"
"No." It was impossible. There was no way Bai Shan could have gotten close enough to wound her, yet the cut on her arm was undeniably from a dagger. What was going on?
"Fine. You chose this." Bai Shan raised the dagger. Chu Ruo thought she was about to lunge and prepared to strike back, but Nan Muxue had already emerged from the room and reached them, throwing a palm strike.
To their shock, Bai Shan didn't dodge. Instead, she stepped forward as if seeking death, her lips curling into a grotesque arc. *Something’s wrong.* Chu Ruo realized it too late and shouted, "No!"
But it was over. Nan Muxue’s attack was incredibly swift. Bai Shan was sent flying, coughing up a large amount of blood. But at the same moment, Chu Ruo also spat out blood and collapsed, unable to control herself.
"Ruo’er!" Nan Muxue immediately turned back to hold her, her voice frantic with panic and heartache. "How can this be?"
"Hahaha..." Bai Shan stood up unsteadily. "Go on, kill me! If I die, your precious disciple dies with me. Oh, wait, I almost forgot. The Palace Master of the Hundred Flowers Palace already cast her disciple out at the martial arts assembly. This is your... lover."
Nan Muxue’s eyes were bloodshot, a sign of extreme rage. "What did you do!"
"What? This is my finest masterpiece. Chu Ruo, it’s a pity my sister did so much for you."
"Do not use your sister as an excuse!" Nan Muxue glared at her, holding Chu Ruo tightly while suppressing her murderous impulse. "Your feelings for Ruo’er are no less than your sister’s."
"Hahahaha!" Severely injured, Bai Shan slumped back to the ground, clutching her chest. "Yes, I hate myself. Why did I have to fall for you too? I hate you, and I hate myself even more. So many times I went soft and couldn't strike. Our parents died early; my sister raised me. I would never compete with her for what she loves. I must help her get what she wants. I hate that you are with this wench! Whatever I love, I must have. If I can't have it, I’d rather destroy it! But if it’s for my sister, I want her to be happy. But you... you don't know what’s good for you! You brought this on yourself!"
Chu Ruo was also slumped on the ground, though she had the Little Scorpion to hold her. When that palm strike landed, she felt as if she had been hit herself. Nan Muxue hadn't held back at all. Now, her internal organs felt as if they were being turned upside down, and she couldn't catch her breath. Hearing Bai Shan’s words, she was so angry she wanted to vomit more blood. She didn't know whether to be appalled that being loved by this girl was such a curse, or to wonder if Bai Shan was actually Nan Menghua’s daughter—destroying what she couldn't have. Was she really so unlucky that every wedding ended in disaster? "You... *cough*..."
"Ruo’er," Nan Muxue held her nervously, her hands trembling as she pulled a pill from her robes to feed her. She knew exactly how heavy her strike had been. "Don't speak. It’s okay, it’s okay."
"Okay?" Bai Shan still held the dagger. She opened her other palm and slowly drew the blade across it. "How about this?"
Chu Ruo didn't even have time to process the bizarre scene before the pain hit. As the other girl cut her own hand, Chu Ruo’s palm immediately split open with an identical wound. How was this possible? Since coming to this world, she had never heard of such a technique. It was the ultimate "injure the enemy by hurting yourself" move. "It hurts..."
Nan Muxue rushed over, snatched the dagger away, and hoisted Bai Shan up by her collar. "You!"
"Kill me! Kill me, and your lover will be buried with me. She dies when I die."
Faced with this provocation, Nan Muxue’s killing intent was palpable, yet she pulled back her hand at the last second. "What did you do to Ruo’er!"
The commotion drew another person—Bai Zhier.
"Shanshan?! What happened? You... to my sister again..." Bai Zhier rushed over to support her sister. She looked at Bai Shan with heartache, then saw Chu Ruo wounded on the ground. "Ruo’er! How did this happen?"
"Sister, why are you here? I... I told you to..."
"You specifically sent me to the neighboring town to get some 'special herbs.' I felt something was wrong with your expression, so I hurried back. What are you all doing?"
Before anyone could react, the Ice Soul blade was pressed against Bai Zhier’s throat. Nan Muxue looked coldly at Bai Shan. "I don't care what you did. Heal Ruo’er immediately."
"Heh, hehe... Nan Muxue, you really can't see the situation. Do you think we’re still back on Xianlai Island, being coerced by you? Since I’ve taken this step, do you think I’m afraid of you? Don't bother threatening my sister. Let’s see if you’re faster, or if I can harm myself faster. Besides, with Chu Ruo here, I don't believe she’d let you kill my sister. After all, we are sisters, aren't we? Should I... call you 'Sister' as well?"
"Shanshan, what did you do to Ruo’er!"
"Nothing much. If I could use the Dream-Like Wish on her once, I could do it a second time. Of course, what I used this time is far more powerful. I won't be threatened by her again. Today, either Chu Ruo leaves with my sister, or you take back a corpse. Sister, if I die, bury me beside our parents."
Bai Zhier was shaking with rage. "Nonsense! What did you do!" She suddenly realized. "You put a Gu in her, didn't you? Or a poison? No, it’s more like a Gu. It is a Gu! When did this happen!"
"Since it’s come to this, I’m not afraid to say it. This is the Heart-Linking Gu, my own creation, combined with the Gu arts of the Miao region. It is my proudest work." Bai Shan’s face was full of arrogance as she glared at Chu Ruo. "Blood and heart linked as one. It wasn't easy to plant it in you. Fortunately, you were blind back then, and this wench was stupid enough to go back to the Hundred Flowers Palace to seek death. It was lucky she left; you were making such a fuss during that time that even my sister couldn't calm you down. That gave me the chance to plant the Gu. I haven't had the heart to trigger it until now. Remember? I told you then that you would agree to marry my sister. Today is your last chance."
*...As expected, I can't go anywhere without getting injured or poisoned. What kind of bullshit setting is this?!*
For the first time, Nan Muxue cursed directly. "Vile woman."
Bai Shan laughed instead of getting angry. "The Gu is in both our hearts. No matter what injury I suffer, Chu Ruo will suffer the same, until death. Of course, if I die, she cannot live. Hahaha!"
Chu Ruo had recovered slightly after taking the pill. She stood up, and Nan Muxue ignored Bai Zhier to support her. "Ruo’er."
"Zhier has already let go. You are the only one who refuses to see reason," Chu Ruo said.
"Hmph! My sister is kind-hearted, but I am not! Nan Muxue, I will not forget the debt of my father’s death! And you, you ungrateful wolf, we sisters..."
"Sisters," Nan Muxue said coldly. "Is that so?"
The expressions on Chu Ruo and Bai Zhier’s faces turned strange instantly. Both looked over, seemingly afraid she would continue—especially Chu Ruo, who gripped her hand. "Xue’er, don't."
Bai Shan, not understanding, laughed wantonly. "What, are you afraid? Or will you break your own arms?"
"Do you really think," Nan Muxue’s rage was beyond words, yet she was hindered by the so-called Heart-Linking Gu and could not strike. She spoke slowly, "That you are truly a member of the Medical God’s family?"
***
### Glossary
Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation
--- | --- | ---
广江城 | Guangjiang City | A city located near the Hundred Flowers Palace.
慕雪阁 | Muxue Pavilion | Chu Ruo's new restaurant. "Muxue" (慕雪) means "Adoring Xue."
发财客栈 | Fortune Inn | The inn from earlier in the story where Chu Ruo met Granny Hua.
花老太 | Granny Hua | The elderly woman who ran the Fortune Inn.
连心蛊 | Heart-Linking Gu | A parasitic Gu that links the physical sensations and injuries of two people.
苗疆 | Miao region | A region known in wuxia/xianxia for Gu sorcery and poisons.
梦如意 | Dream-Like Wish | A previous poison or technique used by Bai Shan on Chu Ruo.
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Master, Spare My Life: A Disciple's Sweet Rebellion | Chapter 217 | The Heart-Linking Curse | Novela.app | Novela.app
