My Enemy Became My Cultivation Companion
Chapter 148 - 128: It Seems Like We Can Escape

Chapter 148: Chapter 128: It Seems Like We Can Escape

As winter approached, even under dense clouds, the streets and lanes were bustling with life. Vendors’ calls echoed along the street at uncertain times—selling pancakes, fried sweets, and from towering steamers rose plumes of white vapor, slowing even the biting cold wind. Yin Tingxue kept close to Chen Yi, letting him hold her hand while she gazed around.

Back when she lived in the Prince Mansion, she rarely had the chance to go out. Usually, it was only on days like the Lantern Festival that she could do so, following her mother amidst a retinue of maids and servants, seated in a palanquin as it arrived at the lively streets. It was bustling back then, each household lit up brightly, the night resembling dragons and fish in jubilant motion. Suddenly, with a loud *bang*, fireworks bloomed abruptly in the sky, roaring and resplendent. As Yin Tingxue walked, her gaze turned hazy, and she eventually realized that only Chen Yi remained by her side—no palanquin, no maids, no servants, not even her mother. All had vanished without a trace. Turning back wistfully, she found that times had changed—things and people were no longer as they once were.

Her almond-shaped eyes flashed briefly with complex emotions indescribable in words. Yin Tingxue took a deep breath, patted her cheeks, and resolved not to let herself wallow in memories—she had to accept her fate.

On the streets, refugees could be seen huddling in corners, without even a begging bowl in front of them, merely wrapped in shreds of torn cloth.

Yin Tingxue noticed this scene and lowered her gaze, pondering for a while before lightly tugging on Chen Yi’s sleeve.

Chen Yi turned back to her and heard her soft voice:

"Chen Yi, give me some money."

"What do you want to buy? I’ll buy it for you,"

Chen Yi replied. He had no intention of letting this little fox hold the money bag. If she managed to start her own stash of coins, it might lead to thoughts she shouldn’t have.

Besides, she’d had that kind of dream...

"I want... to help someone a little,"

Yin Tingxue pointed at the refugees on the ground, her eyes darting about as she coyly added, "Do some good deeds, accumulate virtue. Mom taught me that it’s best to do these things personally."

"Oh, you understand that kind of thing, do you?"

Chen Yi stretched his voice in mockery, saying, "But I don’t particularly feel like giving you money."

"A kind family will always prosper, that’s what mom told me," Yin Tingxue hesitated for a moment, then softened her tone: "Please... for us... let’s accumulate a little virtue too, so that our family also prospers."

Our family...

Hearing these three words, a ripple of emotion stirred within Chen Yi. He understood she was trying to curry favor with him. Still, refusing her seemed a little cruel.

Chen Yi stroked her head and smiled, "I’ll give you one silver piece and about thirty copper coins. Buy whatever you want, but remember to return what’s left when we get back."

Yin Tingxue nodded earnestly, pecking like a chick. Chen Yi then took out one silver piece and a string of copper coins from his pocket and handed them to her. The young lady of the mansion quickly walked over to the refugees, untied the string of coins, and pushed about thirty of them in front of them. Naturally, this made the refugees drop to their knees, showering her with gratitude. Feeling embarrassed, Yin Tingxue quickly retreated back to Chen Yi’s side.

She held onto the remaining money tightly,

"Actually, I don’t really have anything to buy. Do you want me to return it to you now?"

Yin Tingxue asked casually.

"Return it when we’re back. Feel free to look around, buy what you like."

As soon as he finished speaking, she discreetly tucked the money back into her pocket.

It would all go toward buying medicinal ingredients.

Yin Tingxue was not planning to directly purchase contraceptive medicine from the pharmacy, as its effects were temporary, not to mention its strong taste, which Chen Yi might detect. To deal with this once and for all, she had to resort to alchemy—self-reliance was the way forward.

After walking a stretch of street and browsing for a while, Yin Tingxue casually bought some snacks, small decorative trinkets, spending some copper coins here and there, while always saving the silver piece for later. She waited for the right moment to sneak off unnoticed to purchase the medicinal ingredients.

However, Chen Yi never let go of her hand throughout, making it hard for her to find an opportunity to slip away.

"Let’s go and visit Min Ning’s family,"

Having wandered around for a while, Chen Yi took a glance at the small bundle Yin Tingxue held in her hand, deciding it was about time.

Yin Tingxue wanted to speak up but feared revealing her true intentions, so she reluctantly nodded.

Then, she thought of something—once Chen Yi arrived at Min Ning’s house, she could find an excuse to sneak out unnoticed. Besides, with Master Zhou’s Sword Intent lingering in her, she wasn’t worried about encountering any danger.

Walking through the marketplace, the further they ventured outward, the fewer pedestrians appeared along the way. Muddy pits lined the ground, with pockets of stagnant water scattered about. Chen Yi held Yin Tingxue’s hand and continued toward Min Ning’s house.

Meeting the family elder inevitably brought on a slight sense of tension. Without realizing it, Chen Yi loosened his grip on Yin Tingxue’s hand a touch, though the latter certainly wouldn’t say anything.

Passing a corner, Chen Yi unexpectedly discovered that Min Ning’s house seemed farther than anticipated.

At that moment, his steps came to a sudden halt, and his gaze dropped, startled to find his palm empty.

Chen Yi frowned deeply, glancing around the alley in confusion. Then, at the corner appeared two figures—one holding a three-pronged spear, with cyan skin and sharp teeth, clad in silver armor, stomping heavily and kicking up a cloud of dust, resembling an Ox-Head General. Beside them stood an equally dressed figure wielding a soul-catching chain, exuding a chilling aura, reminiscent of General Gan Liu.

Chen Yi’s eyes narrowed as he asked:

"Who are you?"

Before his voice had fully faded, behind the two figures emerged a towering man with long whiskers and a silk hat, clad in loose robes, moving deliberately with a golden pestle-shaped staff in hand. His presence was grand, like that of a Door Guardian.

On his back was a banner, boldly embroidered with piercing words:

**[To traitorous men and petty minions, I am their doom; to loyal ministers and virtuous generals, a god’s blessing.]**

The banner flapped in the wind, its aura imposing.

However, the man in black spoke with a calm yet dark tone:

"Be it ghost or god—scram."

..................

While he was distracted, Yin Tingxue slipped away.

Her heartbeat raced, as if it might leap out of her throat. By all accounts, this was essentially fleeing, though she kept telling herself it wasn’t. Still, her heart quivered.

But she couldn’t afford to care. After all, it was his carelessness that allowed her to sneak away.

At that moment, Yin Tingxue heard someone approaching. She stealthily withdrew her hand from Chen Yi’s palm, then took off without hesitation.

Fleeing blindly through the alley, Yin Tingxue eventually stopped to catch her breath. She glanced around her surroundings, then looked back to ensure Chen Yi hadn’t followed, exhaling in relief.

She needed to visit the pharmacy. While wandering the marketplace, she had intentionally walked a longer circuit to figure out the pharmacy’s location and route.

Taking a deep breath, Yin Tingxue adjusted her straw hat, steadied her nerves, and quickly stepped into the pharmacy.

The shopkeeper leaned lazily against the medicine cabinet but straightened up at the sight of someone entering.

"Here for medicine?"

"Yes."

Yin Tingxue replied, pulling out a piece of paper with elegant handwriting listing the ingredients recorded in alchemical texts.

"Here’s the prescription."

The shopkeeper took the paper and muttered:

"Wanhua Grass, Purple Bamboo Root..."

After reading two items, realizing what the prescription entailed, he stopped reciting aloud. Instead, he glanced sympathetically at Yin Tingxue, sensing that this wealthy young girl—likely of marriageable age—though veiled, was inevitably a beauty, yet seemed to have destroyed her future unexpectedly. The shopkeeper grew melancholic the more he thought, sighed, and turned to prepare the medicine.

"I’ll take ten portions, please. And make it worth one silver piece. Thank you, Shopkeeper."

Seeing the shopkeeper busy himself with the task, Yin Tingxue hurriedly spoke up.

The shopkeeper’s eyelid twitched but, after some inner grumbling, went ahead and packed the medicine as requested, bundling it in cloth before handing it to her.

Dropping the silver, Yin Tingxue finally felt a sense of relief. Without sparing a glance at the shopkeeper weighing the coin on his small scale, she turned and exited the shop directly.

Just then, a plainly dressed woman in black suddenly rushed out.

Upon seeing Yin Tingxue, the woman dropped to her knees with a thud.

Yin Tingxue stared in stunned silence, but before she could react, the woman’s voice, hushed yet fervent, reached her:

"Purity Saintess... my apologies for arriving late."

Yin Tingxue froze as though struck by lightning. As she instinctively thought of retreating, in the next moment, a thought erupted in her mind—a realization: perhaps... this time she could escape, and truly succeed!