Chapter 15: The Binding Soul Formation

Mu Feng's face twisted into a bitter smile. "Have I really become Jiang Ruoyun's slave?" he thought, reflecting on the recent turn of events. One setback after another—it seemed like each calamity was worse than the last. First, his Seven Souls were damaged, leaving him without strength, and now his very life was in the hands of another, deprived of freedom.

He refused to accept this fate so easily. Focusing his senses inward, Mu Feng felt a faint connection to Jiang Ruoyun through the binding contract. However, to his surprise, he found that the influence she had over him wasn’t as strong as he feared. He tested the strange red mark imprinted on his Original Soul, and after probing its stability, Mu Feng realized something important. The formation was crudely made—it wasn’t even a true soul formation. Breaking it would not be difficult.

Relieved by this discovery, Mu Feng calmed down considerably. After all, who would want their life to be controlled by a stranger, even if that stranger happened to be a beautiful woman?

Although he could dispel the contract immediately, he chose not to. This arrangement gave him a legitimate reason to stay in Qinglong Town, and he didn’t harbor any ill will toward Jiang Ruoyun. In fact, she had saved his life, and he owed her a debt of gratitude.

Seeing that Mu Feng wasn’t angry, Jiang Ruoyun visibly relaxed. She had been nervous that he might demand the contract be broken, something she wouldn’t know how to do. The binding formation she had used was something she had stumbled upon by chance, and while she knew how to create it, she had no idea how to undo it.

...

"Get cleaned up and meet me in the courtyard," Jiang Ruoyun said, leaving the room without another word.

Mu Feng changed into the clothes she had left for him. Though the style was somewhat outdated, the garments were spotlessly clean and carried a faint scent of lotus flowers. They fit him well, which was fortunate since his own clothes had long since fallen into disrepair. After living in Linglong Valley for so long, he only had one or two sets of clothes, and his time in Wuyou Village had left them torn and tattered.

Looking at himself in the bronze mirror, Mu Feng felt a strange sense of detachment. Ever since his Seven Souls were reconstructed, his appearance had changed significantly. He was no longer as robust and muscular as he had once been, though his physique was still within normal bounds. His facial features, however, had matured considerably. There was a new hardness and determination in his expression, something that hadn't been there before.

Gone was the impetuous young man who exuded youthful arrogance. In his place was someone more restrained, someone who had learned to conceal his sharp edges. Mu Feng’s calm demeanor radiated a quiet strength, as if nothing could disturb his inner peace.

Smiling faintly, Mu Feng straightened his new clothes and made his way to the courtyard.

The first thing he saw was a massive banyan tree. Its narrow, leathery leaves and rust-colored aerial roots hung from its deep gray bark, all signs of its ancient age.

The courtyard, though modest in size, was adorned with well-placed greenery, stone paths, and potted plants, creating a serene and refined atmosphere.

The sound of soft music drifted from one side of the courtyard. Following the stone path, Mu Feng saw Jiang Ruoyun sitting by the tree, playing a guqin. Her simple, elegant green gown fluttered gently as she played. With no makeup, her delicate face appeared almost ethereal, like a celestial being untouched by the mortal world. It was a far cry from the mischievous and playful girl he had met earlier.

Her slender fingers danced gracefully over the strings, producing a melody that seemed to merge with the breeze.

For a long time, Mu Feng stood there, entranced by the music. Suddenly, the melody stopped abruptly.

It turned out the guqin's string had snapped.

This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

A flash of frustration crossed Jiang Ruoyun’s face as she gently stroked the instrument before rising from her seat. She took a few delicate steps toward the banyan tree, reaching out to touch one of its branches. Her expression was somber, a quiet sadness in her eyes.

Mu Feng, sensing her melancholy, started to approach, but Xiao Rou, the maid, quickly stopped him. She pulled him aside and whispered, “Now’s not the time to disturb Miss. She’s not in a good mood.”

“What happened?” Mu Feng asked.

After a moment’s hesitation, Xiao Rou replied, “Since you’re bound by the contract, I suppose it’s fine to tell you. Whenever Miss is upset, she comes to this tree and stares at it. I think it’s because of what happened during her coming-of-age ceremony a few days ago.”

Mu Feng glanced back at Jiang Ruoyun, his curiosity piqued, and waited for Xiao Rou to continue.

"Miss was once the brightest star of the Jiang family—no, the entire Qinglong Town," Xiao Rou said, her eyes filled with regret. "Before she even turned twelve, she had already fully connected her Seven Souls and was about to embark on the path of cultivation."

Xiao Rou’s voice was filled with sorrow as she recalled the past.

"But on the night of her soul integration, something terrible happened. A bolt of lightning struck the banyan tree in this courtyard," Xiao Rou said, guiding Mu Feng around the tree to show him the blackened scar left by the strike.

“Did the integration fail?” Mu Feng asked.

“It would have been better if it had just failed,” Xiao Rou replied bitterly. “At least then, Miss would still have the strength of someone at the Seven Souls stage. But no—after that night, her cultivation started to regress. She went from the Seven Souls stage all the way back to the First Soul stage.”

Mu Feng was stunned. "Her Seven Souls were already fully connected. How could they regress?"

Xiao Rou nodded, her face filled with sorrow. "It’s true. Miss went from being a revered genius to being scorned and ridiculed. She fell from grace, from being the most celebrated daughter of the Jiang family to a mere ‘side-room girl’ that even the servants mock. No one remembers her former glory."

Hearing this, Mu Feng couldn’t help but feel a pang of sympathy. He understood all too well what it was like to fall from greatness. It seemed that both he and Jiang Ruoyun had experienced their own share of ridicule and loss.

If Xiao Rou hadn’t told him this story, Mu Feng never would have guessed that the serene and elegant young woman in the courtyard had such a tragic past. Yet, despite her hardships, Jiang Ruoyun seemed to have built a wall around her heart—one that was impenetrable and unyielding.

...

“Well, well, enjoying a peaceful little moment, aren’t we?”

A grating voice interrupted the tranquil scene as a group of young men and women appeared at the courtyard gate. They were all dressed in the same uniform, with the Jiang family’s emblem, a golden ‘Jiang’ character, stitched onto their chests, symbolizing their status within the household.

Jiang Ruoyun’s expression darkened as she saw the intruders. “Get out!” she snapped, her tone cold and commanding.

The group hesitated, clearly taken aback. Even though Jiang Ruoyun’s cultivation had regressed, she still made them uneasy. After all, her past brilliance had left a lasting impression.

One of the girls, Jiang Caiyun, steeled herself and coughed before speaking. “You don’t have much time left here. Brother Jiang Feng has already requested that the elders reclaim this courtyard,” she said smugly, casting a mocking glance at Jiang Ruoyun. “You’d better pack your things and leave before you’re kicked out.”

Jiang Caiyun was also a daughter of the Jiang family, though she belonged to a different branch. While Jiang Ruoyun’s grandfather was the head of the family, Jiang Caiyun’s grandfather was the second master, Jiang Aotian. The two girls had once been close, but after Jiang Ruoyun’s cultivation faltered, Jiang Caiyun became increasingly distant and eventually began mocking her.

To Jiang Caiyun’s surprise, Jiang Ruoyun didn’t respond to the taunt. She merely looked at them with cold indifference, her expression unchanged, though her gaze grew sharper.

Jiang Caiyun and her companions had become cruel and petty over the years, enjoying the opportunity to belittle Jiang Ruoyun. Her brilliance as a child had cast a shadow over them, and now they sought to reclaim their pride by trampling on her downfall.

“Grandfather can’t protect me anymore…” Jiang Ruoyun thought bitterly. Ever since her talent had been shattered, she had become the laughingstock of the family. Her once revered position crumbled, and now, even her status as the family’s young mistress was slipping away. If not for the protection of her grandfather, Jiang Batian, she would have been treated even worse.

But even Jiang Batian’s influence had its limits. Pressured by the family elders, he could no longer shield her from the inevitable.

“Being cast out of the house…” Jiang Ruoyun smiled bitterly at the thought. Her gaze shifted back to the group at the gate, her voice cold and decisive. “Tell Jiang Feng I’ll leave, but he has no right to force me out.”

The group, momentarily cowed by Jiang Ruoyun’s authority, faltered. Despite her weakened cultivation, the memory of her former power still made them uneasy.

But Jiang Caiyun, unwilling to back down, caught sight of Mu Feng standing nearby. She sneered, as though finding a new weakness to exploit. “So, this is what you’ve come to? Hiding a man in your quarters? What a disgrace! If word gets out…”

Before she could finish her sentence, a crimson shadow flashed through the air. The next moment, a sharp, stinging pain blossomed across Jiang Caiyun’s cheek. Jiang Ruoyun’s whip had left a long, red welt on her face.

“Keep your mouth shut, or next time, I won’t stop at one strike,” Jiang Ruoyun said, her voice deadly calm.

Jiang Caiyun stood there in shock, her hand trembling as it touched the blood on her cheek. She had no idea how Jiang Ruoyun, supposedly in the First Soul stage, had managed to strike her so quickly.

Seeing Jiang Caiyun at a loss for words, one of her companions, Jiang Ren, decided to step in. He pointed toward Mu Feng, clearly trying to turn the attention away from Jiang Caiyun. “And what about him? You expect us to believe that you’ve taken in a male servant? What kind of man lowers himself to be a slave to a woman? You must have no shame.”

Mu Feng, however, didn’t seem to hear the insult. He simply smiled softly, his expression calm, though a flicker of coldness passed through his eyes.

Jiang Ruoyun raised her whip again, ready to strike, but Mu Feng stepped forward, gently stopping her. The speed with which he moved shocked the onlookers.

Mu Feng turned to the group and smiled warmly. “I’m just earning my keep. Whether I’m a servant or not—does it really matter?”

His smile was so pure, so devoid of any shame or self-pity, that for a moment, he appeared more like a noble than a man of lowly status.