Chapter 3

03.

I headed straight for Mistress Heather’s courtyard.

Her breathing had steadied somewhat, but her face remained paper white, and fresh blood still stained her collar.

I helped her up and took her to the Celestial Springs atop the mountain.

It was a sacred hot spring that Alistair had carved out of the mountain specifically for Heather to nurse her frail health.

Soaking in the warm water, Heather showed little sign of improvement.

Looking at her fragile silhouette, the pain Garrett had inflicted on me faded, replaced entirely by profound worry for her.

I asked her what she planned to do next.

Heather took a deep breath of the misty mountain air. “Hallie, I am leaving this place.”

I was stunned. They had shared nearly a century of devotion. Could she truly let it all go?

Heather smiled gently, reaching out to caress my cheek. “You are still young, Hallie. You do not yet know that once trust is fractured, it can never be repaired.”

“I have already prepared several bottles of breakthrough pills for him. If he uses them properly, advancing through the next two cultivation realms will not be an issue.”

“As for the future…”

Her voice trailed off, her eyes dimming. I knew she still held lingering feelings for him.

Loving someone in your youth and standing by them for a century is not something you can discard overnight.

Before I could reply, a sharp woman’s voice echoed across the rocks outside.

“Who gave you permission to bathe here? This spring was gifted by Master Alistair to our Sect Leader Vivica!”

A group of swordswomen barged in, dragging Heather out of the water. When I tried to stop them, a cold blade pressed right against my throat.

Vivica looked down at me with cold arrogance. “Ah, it is the little beast.”

“And this pathetic old woman must be Heather, Alistair’s useless mortal partner?”

“No martial core, no magic. Truly a piece of trash.”

Vivica sneered as she insulted us. My chest heaved with fury. “Keep your mouth off my mistress!”

Vivica threw her head back and laughed loudly as if she had just heard a hilarious joke.

“Alistair is marrying me in a few days. Soon, I will be your mistress.”

“As for this useless alchemist… where do you think I should throw her?”

“They say she refined pills with her own blood for decades. Maybe I should drain every drop from her veins and brew an elixir to help Alistair and me ascend to the heavens together.”

Vivica’s words grew more vile by the second, and Heather’s face turned completely bloodless.

Blinded by rage, I lunged forward and bit Vivica’s arm as hard as I could.

She cried out in pain and hurled me against the jagged rocks, raising her sword to run me through. Heather threw herself over me without a second thought.

The steel blade drove deep into Heather’s shoulder. My eyes widened in horror. Vivica pulled the sword free, preparing to strike again.

Her maid suddenly whispered a warning. “My lady, Master Alistair is here.”

Hearing Alistair’s name, hope flared in my chest. I glared at Vivica.

“You hurt Mistress! Just wait until Master punishes you!”

Vivica smiled calmly. “Punishment? Someone will be punished, but it will not be me.”

In the next heartbeat, Vivica plunged her own sword into her wounded arm, tearing a massive gash before collapsing to the ground with a pathetic cry.

“Lady Heather, if you wished to use the spring, you only had to ask,” Vivica sobbed. “Why did you order this vicious beast to attack me?”

Alistair arrived just in time to see Vivica drenched in blood. Without asking a single question, he rounded on Heather.

“How could you let that beast maul someone like this?”

That single sentence shattered Heather’s heart.

It chilled mine to the core as well.

I heard Heather’s trembling, feeble voice break the silence.