Chapter 30: Delivered Only to Those Destined

"What?"

Qin Changsheng, who had been distracted while cultivating, blinked in surprise and looked over at Nangong Ruoxi. In the moonlight, the young woman looked shy, nervously twisting the hem of her skirt. It was evident that she had summoned great courage to speak those words.

It was true that Nangong Ruoxi had been looking for a shield, but that was only a desperate measure because she held Long Chen in such low regard. Now that she had encountered a freak like Qin Changsheng—someone who cultivated celestial energy from the start and possessed the Immortal Eyes—she naturally wouldn't mind turning their pretense into reality.

Seeking longevity through cultivation was nothing to be ashamed of, and choosing a partner with a boundless future would undoubtedly make the journey much easier. Furthermore, after spending time together, Nangong Ruoxi did not feel any aversion toward Qin Changsheng. There was a certain old-fashioned quality to him that other cultivators lacked; if you didn't look closely, you wouldn't even know he was a practitioner. She saw in him the vibrancy of a living soul, rather than a machine that existed solely to cultivate.

The moment the words left her lips, Nangong Ruoxi regretted them. The white-haired youth in the moonlight was clearly taken aback, and the two fake partners stared at each other in the gloom.

"Why would you have such a thought?" Qin Changsheng asked softly.

"I don't know. It was just a whim. I suppose I suddenly felt that someone like Brother Changsheng would make an excellent partner. Since I have to choose one eventually, I might as well take the opportunity to pick the best." Nangong Ruoxi defended herself, though her words were insincere. To claim she had fallen in love at first sight after only a short time together would be unrealistic, especially considering their time together had been far from pleasant.

"I see. Is the Saintess trying to swindle me out of my payment?" Qin Changsheng looked wary. "What a clever tactic! Once I become your real partner, your troubles become my own. How could I possibly ask for payment for doing my own business?"

"We may be familiar, but even brothers must settle accounts clearly. When discussing business, do not talk of feelings; when discussing feelings, do not talk of business."

After Qin Changsheng finished speaking, he saw the stunned look in the girl’s eyes in the moonlight and quietly breathed a sigh of relief. Refusing her like that shouldn't hurt her self-esteem, right?

"Is that what you think, Brother Changsheng?" Nangong Ruoxi stared at him as if he were a ghost. What was she thinking? Why had she been possessed by the idea of making their charade real? Was this guy made of solid steel? He actually thought she was trying to swindle his payment by choosing to be his true partner!

"Otherwise?" Qin Changsheng coughed. "You surely don't covet my body, do you?"

"..."

In her anger, Nangong Ruoxi snorted. "I didn't expect Brother Changsheng to see through me. I thought I could save half the payment, but I suppose my 'beauty trap' wasn't beautiful enough. I didn't expect Brother Changsheng to be so immune to it. Hahahaha."

"Exactly. I'm not that easily fooled, am I?" Qin Changsheng breathed a secret sigh of relief. Thankfully, she wasn't too persistent; otherwise, his previous words would surely have wounded her pride.

Qin Changsheng had shut down the conversation completely. The night returned to silence. One could only hear the slight rise and fall of Nangong Ruoxi's chest; it was clear she was quite furious.

Qin Changsheng's rejection made her feel powerless. She felt his logic was sound, yet for some reason, beneath her anger, she felt a trace of sadness.

Qin Changsheng offered a bitter smile. It would be a lie to say he didn't desire Nangong Ruoxi, but he was about to enter a deep slumber... Qinghe, from seventy years ago, had made him far more cautious about these things. Seventy years ago, one sleep had meant a parting of life and death, and now he was going to sleep again. Who knew when he would wake up?

That was why he couldn't agree to Nangong Ruoxi, just as he had distanced himself from Yu Yan. Perhaps only when he no longer needed to sleep would he have the courage to pursue his own feelings. He was afraid of losing, and he was afraid of people waiting for him. Qinghe had waited for him for five years, a long and painful wait. Since then, he had been afraid.

Nangong Ruoxi didn't speak to him again, likely thinking he was a shallow man, or perhaps she had understood his subtle rejection. In any case, this clever woman never brought it up again.

As the long night dragged on, Qin Changsheng, unable to sleep, returned to his old trade and began to carve a tombstone in earnest. With his Immortal Eyes, he could see clearly even without a lamp. Nangong Ruoxi watched him carve the stone all night long in the darkness.

Without realizing it, dawn arrived, and Qin Changsheng's stone was finished.

"Didn't you say you'd give me one earlier? How about giving me this one?" Nangong Ruoxi suddenly broke the silence. Qin Changsheng, having just finished the stone, slowly raised his head and looked at her, confused. "Who buys a tombstone before they're even dead?"

"Oh, so you do know that principle?" Nangong Ruoxi scoffed. If she remembered correctly, those were the very words she had said to Qin Changsheng when he first tried to sell her a stone. At the time, Qin Changsheng had said one could prepare in advance and even promised to give her one, but now that she was asking for it, he refused!

"My stones are only sold to those destined for them. There is someone more suited to this one than you. If you really want one, wait until I carve it for you later. On the day you die, I will personally deliver your stone to your side, so you can leave with your name intact."

"So, your 'destined ones' are just people you intend to kill?" Nangong Ruoxi finally understood.

"Not necessarily people I intend to kill. If it is a departed friend, I will also carve a stone for them." Qin Changsheng looked toward the direction of Songlin Village. "The stone for Yu Yan's grandmother was carved by my own hands. If you go to her grave now, you can recognize at a glance that it is where she rests in eternal sleep."

"..." Nangong Ruoxi was startled. This was the first time she had heard Qin Changsheng speak of matters related to Wang Yuyan.

"Her grandmother? What was your relationship with her?" Nangong Ruoxi was suddenly very curious.

"She was a childhood friend..."

"You like older women?" Nangong Ruoxi’s eyes widened.

Qin Changsheng’s mouth twitched. "What are you thinking? When I first met her, she wasn't even as old as you are now..." He was so annoyed he had to laugh; he hadn't realized her imagination was so vivid.

"Huh? Then is Wang Yuyan your granddaughter?"

"No."

"Did her grandmother marry someone else?"

"It is indeed a sad story."

"That is true."

"What was her name?"

"Qinghe."

Seeing Qin Changsheng’s expression grow somber, Nangong Ruoxi vaguely understood why he had rejected her. Perhaps it was because of this Qinghe.

"The sun is up. It’s time for us to depart." Qin Changsheng packed his luggage and picked up the well-behaved little fox.

Nangong Ruoxi nodded, and the two walked out of the inn together. Outside, a delicate young monk, holding a golden alms bowl, stood with hands pressed together, blocking their path.

"Amitabha, kind donors. This humble monk offers his greetings."

The monk had a face so delicate it was hard to tell if he was a man or a woman. Even in his simple grey monk's robe, he could not hide his otherworldly air.