After the Death Ceremony, I was Entangled by My Two Wives - Chapter 2

A strange tension hung in the air between the two women.

Ying Buran was bewildered by the sudden turn of events. She only saw the woman’s sword flash as the spectral figures vanished one by one.

Is it over? Am I safe now?

Ying Buran had been holding her breath to stay conscious. The moment she relaxed, the last bit of air rushed out, and she fainted.

Just as her head was about to strike the ground, the woman caught her. Gazing at the unconscious Ying Buran, her eyes held a complex mix of emotions.

The Ghost Clan, realizing they couldn’t snatch their prey from her grasp, retreated into the earth and vanished.

I should return to the Sect first. I don’t know if the Ghost King will appear, and this place isn’t safe to linger. The woman lifted Ying Buran into her arms, mounted her sword, and soared away.

“Disciple Zhao Qingxun greets Master,” Zhao Qingxun said, bowing deeply. Luo Wangqing, who was hunched over her desk working, acted as if she hadn’t even noticed, holding official documents in one hand while rhythmically tapping the table with the other.

After a long pause, she finally raised her head, glanced at Zhao Qingxun, who was still bowing, and said coolly, “Rise. Was the matter resolved?”

Zhao Qingxun straightened up and nodded. “The person has been rescued and is currently in my quarters.”

“Hmm,” Luo Wangqing replied indifferently. “Keep a close watch on her. Don’t let her leave your courtyard. Some Ghost King learned of our plans and disrupted them. Do your best to keep her calm, even if she expresses dissatisfaction. I will compensate you after the sacrifice is complete. You may withdraw.”

Zhao Qingxun bowed again. “Yes, Disciple understands.” She glanced at Luo Wangqing and couldn’t help but ask, “Master, must we truly sacrifice a living person? Can Heaven’s Mandate truly not be altered?”

Luo Wangqing paused, lifting her gaze to meet Zhao Qingxun’s. A slight frown creased her brow, her face etched with displeasure. “Have you developed sympathy for her?”

Zhao Qingxun opened her mouth to protest, but ultimately remained silent, bowing her head in submission. “Yes, Master. This disciple feels some pity. She should have grown up in a peaceful, loving home, not wandering aimlessly like this…”

Bang!

Luo Wangqing’s face darkened as she slammed her hand on the table, cutting off Zhao Qingxun’s words. Her voice turned icy. “Remember your place. Cast aside that useless sympathy. Your only task is to fulfill the mission I’ve given you.”

“Don’t let me hear such words again. Otherwise, I’ll find someone else to lock her up.”

“…Yes, Master. This disciple acknowledges her error,” Zhao Qingxun replied, bowing her head and slowly retreating from the room.

Perhaps triggered by this brush with death, Ying Buran seemed to relive her past traumas in her unconscious state.

She saw one by one the people who loved her, and those she loved, being robbed of their lives, leaving her to constantly flee for her own survival.

So when she opened her eyes and found herself in an unfamiliar room, her first thought was that she must be dreaming.

She lay on a soft bed, covered by a blanket that felt luxurious to the touch.

She had never felt such fine fabric before. The clothes she wore were made of the same comfortable material.

Ying Buran closed her eyes again, wishing the dream would last a little longer.

After a while, she opened her eyes again. The room was still the same. Could it not be a dream after all? She pinched herself, wincing at the pain.

It really wasn’t a dream!

“Before… I think someone saved me?” Ying Buran rubbed her forehead, still feeling a bit dizzy. As she raised her hand, she noticed the bandages wrapped around her arm.

Her wounds had all been bandaged?

Ying Buran felt too weak to move much, but she managed to shift slightly, noticing bandages wrapped around many parts of her body. A faint medicinal scent lingered in the air.

She had been rescued instead of driven away?

“Awake?” A cool, clear voice drifted from nearby. Ying Buran turned her head to see a woman in white robes entering the room.

Her clothes… they look like the ones worn by the person who shielded me earlier? Ying Buran nodded slightly, then couldn’t resist glancing around the room. Cautiously, she whispered to the woman, “Yes. Where am I?”

Zhao Qingxun approached the window and tapped Ying Buran’s forehead. The ghostly energy had been completely cleansed, even the mark left by the Ghost Clan was gone.

Now, if the Ghost King wanted to find her again, it would take considerable effort.

Zhao Qingxun withdrew her hand and sat in a chair beside the bed. “Flowing Cloud Sect. My room.”

Ying Buran nodded dazedly. She knew of the Flowing Cloud Sect; she had overheard villagers mentioning it before. It was an Immortal Sect, one of the most prestigious among them.

Ying Buran remained silent, and Zhao Qingxun found herself at a loss for words. She had never been one for small talk, nor was she skilled at conversation.

The atmosphere grew chilly.

Finally, Zhao Qingxun broke the silence. After clearing her throat twice, she focused on Ying Buran’s condition. “I noticed your injuries and took the liberty of bringing you here.”

Ying Buran nodded, racking her brain to squeeze out four words: “Thank you for saving me.”

Another silence fell between them.

Ying Buran felt a bit awkward. Having barely interacted with people normally, she had no idea what to say next.

Zhao Qingxun, having reviewed Ying Buran’s file and understanding her situation, unusually took the initiative to continue the conversation. “The Ghost Clan is still roaming outside. You should rest here and recover for now.”

“Ghost Clan?”

Zhao Qingxun nodded. “Yes, the ones who tried to capture you earlier. But you’re safe now; they won’t find this place. Let me check your wounds again.”

Seeing Ying Buran try to sit up, she gently pressed her back down. “Lie down. You shouldn’t move too much right now.”

Ying Buran had intended to get up and express her gratitude more formally, but the sudden pressure left her mind blank. Uncertain what to do next, she instinctively lay back down. “Ah, okay.”

She gazed curiously at the woman, who closed her eyes and placed a finger on her forehead. A subtle warmth spread from the point of contact throughout her body.

Afterward, the woman gently rolled up Ying Buran’s sleeve to examine her arm, her delicate brows furrowing slightly.

Could there be something wrong? Ying Buran thought. She had no major injuries, but her minor wounds never seemed to heal properly, and she rarely had a full meal. Every day was spent either hiding or fighting wild dogs for scraps, adding new injuries to the old.

Could these lingering wounds have developed into something serious over time? Ying Buran startled herself with the thought and asked anxiously, “Is it difficult to treat?”

Zhao Qingxun snapped out of her reverie, shaking her head to conceal the emotions in her eyes. “No, it just requires some time to recuperate. I’ll go prepare your medicine.”

With that, she turned and left, as if lingering any longer would be a judgment on her own heart.

Ying Buran scratched her head, sensing a hurriedness in Zhao Qingxun’s retreating figure. Unable to pinpoint the reason, she simply stared blankly at the ceiling.

Why is this person being so kind to me? she wondered. And is it just my imagination, or does she seem to feel guilty about something?

But she didn’t recognize this woman at all.

A moment later, Zhao Qingxun returned with the medicine, interrupting Ying Buran’s thoughts. Her expression had regained its composure, revealing nothing of her earlier turmoil. “The medicine is ready.”

She set the bowl aside, then carefully helped Ying Buran sit up and handed her the medicine.

Even before taking the medicine, Ying Buran could already smell its bitterness. When the bowl was placed before her, the pungent aroma assaulted her senses, making her feel slightly dizzy. “Thank you… ugh…”

Noticing her reluctance, Zhao Qingxun said, “The medicine is quite bitter. I have some candied pastries here. You can have one after you finish.”

Ying Buran’s eyes lit up as she looked at the woman. “Candy?”

Zhao Qingxun nodded, pulling a small, paper-wrapped square from her sleeve and unwrapping it. “Yes, this.”

This was the first time Ying Buran had seen candy up close. She had only heard people say it was delicious.

As for the medicine…

Ying Buran glanced furtively at the woman, whose gaze remained fixed on the bowl in her hand. If I don’t drink it, she’ll keep staring, maybe even force me to swallow it?

Clearly, she had no means to resist. For now, compliance seemed the wiser course. After weighing her options, Ying Buran drank the medicine.

She had initially planned to pretend to swallow it and spit it out later, but the moment the liquid went down, it dissolved into a warm current that spread throughout her body. Afterward, she did feel much better.

Just so bitter.

The bitterness didn’t linger long. Almost the instant she set down the bowl, something sweet was stuffed into her mouth, the sweetness instantly spreading and washing away the bitter taste.

So sweet, so delicious.

Watching Ying Buran’s surprise and delight at the candy, Zhao Qingxun unconsciously tightened her grip on the hand hidden in her sleeve.

If it weren’t for that so-called Heaven’s Mandate and the impending calamity…

No, now wasn’t the time for such thoughts. As her Master had said, if Ying Buran didn’t die, countless more lives would be lost.

All she could do was make the most of this time to make amends.

“Rest here peacefully for the next few days. I won’t disturb you,” Zhao Qingxun said, timing her words carefully. After ensuring the medicine had taken effect, she helped Ying Buran lie back down and hurried away.

She feared that if she stayed any longer, her resolve would crumble.

In the days that followed, Ying Buran remained confined to her room, gradually regaining her ability to walk. Each day, Zhao Qingxun changed her bandages, brought her a bowl of medicine, and delivered simple yet delicious meals. Ying Buran felt her body steadily improving.

The highlight of each day was undoubtedly that single piece of candy.

But as her health improved, Ying Buran began to worry about something else: what would she do afterward?

She was staying here now because of her injuries and poor health. Once she recovered, she would inevitably have to leave.

But where could she go? What would she encounter?

One day, when Zhao Qingxun came to deliver her medicine, she noticed that Ying Buran seemed even more despondent than the day before.

Was it because I’ve kept her locked in this room all this time? What if she wants to leave?

“You seem a bit down lately,” Zhao Qingxun asked directly after a moment of internal struggle.

If she wants to leave… No, I can’t let her go yet. At least here, I can protect her for now. If Master finds out she’s gone…

The only fate awaiting her would likely be imprisonment in the dungeon.