SWNOVELXO Chapter 11:
Chapter 011: The Melon in the Field:
Bai Qiulan noticed the shock in Sun Ruowei’s expression and couldn’t help but feel slightly embarrassed.
Logically, someone like Chu Ling—a humble servant girl—should never have been able to address Bai Qiulan as “Sister Bai.”
But under certain circumstances, titles and relationships could take peculiar turns.
Terms like “dear husband,” “beloved master,” “little sister,” and “your humble servant” could all become surprisingly normal in certain moments.
Chu Ling addressing Bai Qiulan as “Sister Bai” stemmed from an incident where the two had been forced into close cooperation. From then on, “Sister” and “little sister” naturally became their way of addressing one another.
Over time, with everyone aboard Lu Ye’s metaphorical pirate ship, and their strength relatively close, Bai Qiulan didn’t bother correcting the inappropriate title.
But here and now, Chu Ling absolutely shouldn’t be calling her “Sister Bai.”
Bai Qiulan was the youngest elder of the Great Dao Sect, blessed with extraordinary talent. Were it not for her disinterest, she could have easily vied for the position of sect leader.
Chu Ling, on the other hand, was an outsider—a mere itinerant cultivator who had only just formed her Core.
Moreover, she referred to herself as a servant.
Sun Ruowei couldn’t help but feel the thick scent of juicy gossip in the air.
It was the kind of sweet, tantalizing gossip that made your mouth water.
Bai Qiulan was famous as the sect’s icy beauty. When she first joined, her admirers were as numerous as the fish in the river.
Even the sect master had once publicly remarked that if he were to choose a Dao companion, it would be someone like Bai Qiulan—an unparalleled, independent woman.
“Ruowei, step outside. I need to speak with her privately,” Bai Qiulan said, glancing at Sun Ruowei.
“What? But this is my Dao courtyard…” Sun Ruowei protested, reluctant to leave. Her ears were practically twitching like antennas, straining to catch every word. Being told to leave now felt worse than being stabbed in the heart.
“Hmm?” Bai Qiulan cast a sharp look her way.
Sun Ruowei sighed deeply. The lingering authority of her senior sister was undeniable. Reluctantly, she left the room, turning back with every step.
When she finally exited, she left the door wide open.
Bai Qiulan shook her head and waved her hand, closing the door with a faint gesture.
Sun Ruowei pressed herself against the outside of the door, desperate to eavesdrop on the explosive conversation within.
But the soundproofing barrier Bai Qiulan activated dashed her hopes entirely.
The barrier shimmered faintly, cutting off all sound.
Sun Ruowei panicked.
The tighter the secrecy, the juicier the gossip must be!
Her entire body trembled with frustration. She longed to break the barrier and listen in.
At this moment, Sun Ruowei embodied the thieving, leaping badger immortalized in Lu Xun’s writings.
Inside the room, Bai Qiulan waited to ensure Sun Ruowei wouldn’t break through the barrier before letting out a soft sigh.
She understood her junior sister well. The next few days would likely be restless.
Turning her attention to Chu Ling, Bai Qiulan spoke gently.
“You said you misunderstood Lu Ye. What did you mean?”
Sadness clouded Chu Ling’s expression.
“I used to think that the master was imprisoning me, refusing to let me return home, just to keep me by his side—to have a beautiful servant for himself.”
“When I finally returned to the Chu Sword Manor, the place was in ruins. The master even said it was ‘deserved.’”
Tears welled in Chu Ling’s eyes as she recalled the past.
“I thought he did it to take away my home, to trap me by his side forever. I believed he’d succeeded in his plan.”
“But this time, after my rebirth, I returned to the Chu Sword Manor immediately. The master didn’t stop me.”
“And when I arrived…”
Chu Ling broke down into sobs.
Bai Qiulan patted her back gently. Having fought alongside Chu Ling on many occasions, she couldn’t help but see her as a younger sister. Watching her cry like this pained her deeply.
“When I got there, I realized it was all a lie. Their kindness was fake. Their love was a facade. They saw me as nothing more than a tool to forge the demonic sword—a sacrificial pawn. I was chosen to die in my foster brother’s place.”
“They killed my real parents out of spite after I escaped.”
“A guard who had always been kind to me urged me to leave the moment he saw me. The next day, he was dead.”
“The master wasn’t imprisoning me. He just didn’t want me to see their ugliness. He didn’t want my memories of home to be tainted. He was protecting me all along!”
Chu Ling cried uncontrollably, tears streaming down her face.
She had poisoned Lu Ye, betrayed him, and hurt him deeply.
And now she realized she had been utterly wrong.
The truth had crushed her will to live. She felt like a joke.
She had hated Lu Ye for so long, yearning to return to a home that was nothing more than a nightmare.
When Master Li Jian attacked her, she didn’t dodge. She was ready to die.
But when he sneered, “Pathetic. Seems like there’s no one left in this world you care about. Let me send you off!”
Something in her snapped.
No!
There is someone I care about.
The master!
She had hurt him, betrayed him. Now she had to atone. She had to beg for his forgiveness and heal the wounds she had inflicted.
So, she had crawled her way to the Great Dao Sect.
Bai Qiulan was shaken to her core.
So, this was the truth…
She had once scolded Lu Ye for what he had done to Chu Ling.
Lu Ye had taken her reprimand with a grin, offering no defense.
Now she realized he hadn’t wanted anyone to know. He was afraid of hurting Chu Ling even more.
In his previous life, he had protected Chu Ling with everything he had.
And yet, when he heard she was injured outside the sect gates, all it would have taken was one word—“I know her”—to save her.
Instead, he said, “I don’t know her.”
Bai Qiulan sighed deeply.
Gaining Lu Ye’s forgiveness would be no easy feat.
“You need to focus on recovering for now,” Bai Qiulan advised.
“Once you’re healed, train hard. Become the sharpest blade in his arsenal.”
“In time, the wounds will heal. Lu Ye has a soft heart. If you’re persistent, he will forgive you eventually.”
Chu Ling nodded firmly, clenching her fists.
She knew deep down that Lu Ye didn’t see her as a weapon. What he truly cherished was her companionship and care.
She was determined to win his forgiveness.
“One more thing,” Bai Qiulan added.
“Don’t call me ‘Sister Bai’ anymore. Address me as Elder Bai. The chaos we endured before was a mistake. Now that I’ve regained control of my power, there will be no more confusion.”
“I have no future with Lu Ye.”