A Broken Heart Still Beats.

Chapter XLII

Wherever the hell they were, Shen Yuan didn't truly care. He was away from that pavilion, a bit farther from where he had left, and that was enough for him at the moment.

The Little Palace Mistress was apparently very excited to have someone to play with: who was willing to listen to her and follow along behind her without a fuss, especially since that person was apparently a Peak Lord of Cang Qiong Mountain Sect and a pretty one in her opinion.

The girl had been bored out of her mind all day. From her father leaving her to her own devices to handle the inter-sect meeting, to all of her Shimei or Shijie having to attend to their duties for the inter-sect meeting. She'd been left entirely alone, and rather bored. So, when this immortal cultivator showed up and not only let her pet his incredibly fluffy ears but didn't shoo her off, she was willing to take a mile where she'd been given an inch.

After the Old Palace Master took his leave, and she grew tired of just petting his ears and tail—no matter how fluffy they were, she pulled him along to show off her favorite things.

There were a few disciples and servants who saw the two and tried to step in, mortified at the sight of their Little Palace Mistress quite literally dragging along a peak lord of Cang Qiong. But Shen Yuan politely waved them off each time, offering a gentle smile as he reassured them that he was more than willing.

It was better than being anywhere near Lao Gongzhu at the moment.

"This is my favorite weapon!" The Little Palace Mistress held up a barbed whip to Shen Yuan, letting the peak lord take it and blanch at the feel of the iron weapon. What was a little girl doing with a weapon like this!? "My Shixiong gave it to me!"

He felt inclined to smack whoever the hell gave a child a weapon like this, but otherwise nodded slowly as he set it down where Xiao Gongzhu had grabbed it. The girl had dragged him to her chambers, excited to show off all that she had as she ran circles around him.

"This Master asks that Xiao-guniang remain careful with such a weapon," seriously, who decided to give her that!? Did they want her to lose an eye!? "If she is not careful it could accidently harm her."

"This one is very careful!" Xiao Gongzhu retorted, running back over to drag him over to the vanity. All but shoving a few hair ornaments and ribbons into his hands, having realized rather quickly that just showing him the object or speaking about it wasn't as effective as letting him hold and touch it. "She wouldn't be stupid enough to use it on herself!"

"This one knows that Xiao-guniang is very skilled and knowledgeable." Once again, he set the trinkets back on the vanity, smiling as calmly as he could. He was feeling tired and drained. He wanted to be back home. "But accidents can happen, it's actually how this one became blind."

Xiao Gongzhu faltered at that, having been reaching for another trinket to show off, only to freeze when Shen Yuan mentioned his blindness. "...It is?" Looking up at this immortal cultivator, she finally noticed the thin but rather deep scar running over his eyes and over the bridge of his nose. As if someone had used cinnabar to paint a line over his eyes. "What happened?"

"This one fought with a rather...mean man. He wasn't one to fight fair and this one was only a child at the time, so my skills were meager in comparison, and I was hurt."

Suddenly the Little Palace Mistress's expression turned gloomy her frown pulling the corners of her mouth down in a deep scowl as she stomped her foot and shouted. "He should be dead then! Why didn't you kill him? Did someone else do it?"

Shen Yuan choked quietly, startled by such a reaction, but quickly reassured her. "This one can reassure Xiao-guniang that he was given his dues. My A-die handled him personally."