《To Travel by the Edge of a Creek》


 CH 1

    ¡°A Ling,1 hurry and sweep up the leaves in front of the gate.¡± An unrestrained youth of about sixteen or seventeen years called out to her from the highest step in front of the gate.


    The girl known as A Ling, about fifteen or sixteen years old, heard the call and, despite being unwilling, reluctantly picked up a broom.  The girl bound her hair loosely on top of her head, a few wisps sticking to her rosy cheeks. A belt, embroidered with a bamboo pattern, encircled her waist, the knot tied haphazardly on one side. The drooping belt swayed side to side with her light movements, displaying a lovely, adorable side of Jiang Ling as she swept up the fallen leaves one by one along the road from the entrance of the mountain.


    The Crane Song Sect was a humble sect with only four people. Because the sect was situated on Crane Song Mountain, her shifu, Yun Yangzi, offhandedly bestowed the sect with the name ¡°Crane Song Sect.¡± In total, the sect had three disciples. Aside from the things only shifu could do, like giving classes, everything else in the sect was arranged by the three disciples.


    Jiang Ling was the youngest shimei2 of the three disciples. Light chores and manual tasks were her responsibility. At times when Jiang Ling was inevitably disobedient, Gu Yun, her second shixiong, would say: ¡°Shimei¡¯s qinggong3 is the best, so naturally we gave shimei these kinds of trivial tasks. This way, twice the work gets done with half the effort, and you can cultivate along the way.¡± Right, shixiong and shijie were always heading down the mountain to perform manual work in towns to provide for the four of them. From big deeds, like assisting the local authorities by going to local bandit hideouts in the mountains to punish evil and eliminate wickedness, to small deeds, like helping the villagers find lost chickens and ducks, with the remuneration from these tasks, the master-disciple group would not go hungry.


    Shifu always said that there are many paths in cultivation, and sweeping the floor was one of them. Jiang Ling objected, saying that shifu was just hoodwinking them into taking care of odd jobs for him. She thought that cultivation was studying manuals and practicing martial arts. Yun Yangzi would say: ¡°No, all things are a form of cultivation. Naturally, life is one, too.¡± Thus, aside from martial arts practice and going down the mountain to earn money, the sect collected the yearly harvest and gathered wild vegetables and fruits, sending Jiang Ling down to exchange the remaining bounty with local villagers and hunters for other vegetables and meat. The four of them seemed less like a sect and more like a reclusive family.


    Jiang Ling held the broom as she thought about how the falling leaves continued to fall as she swept, and how she continued to sweep as they fell. As long as the tree stood on the mountaintop, there would never be a day where she finished sweeping. Unconsciously feeling down, the broom dropped out of her hand and a wind rose from the ground beneath her feet. For a moment, she couldn¡¯t open her eyes, and she could only clench her hands tight. When she could open her eyes, she was happy to see that shifu and shijie, travel-worn and weary, had returned. She saw Yun Yangzi step lightly on the falling leaves and land beside Jiang Ling. Yun Yangzi was wearing long, light gray robes, with the beard of a mountain goat on his chin. He was tall and slender, with sword-like slanted eyebrows, a bright gaze, and a trace of unusual elegance.


    ¡°This master was not here, and so you are this lazy.¡± Yun Yangzi¡¯s expression was strict, like it hadn¡¯t been in the past, ¡°When you have finished sweeping, come eat.¡±


    ¡°Understood, shifu.¡± Jiang Ling was scared by Yun Yangzi¡¯s sudden reprimand, and she felt somewhat wronged. She nodded, clutching the broom which had, at some point, already returned to her hands, and continued sweeping.


    Yun He landed behind Yun Yangzi. She was dressed entirely in black robes, with turquoise designs along the cuffs and hem. Her belt had the same bamboo pattern as Jiang Ling¡¯s, elegant and charming. She walked over and lightly patted her on the shoulder in consolation, then left in the same direction as shifu.


    That night, Yun Yangzi called the three disciples over.


    ¡°When this master and your shijie went down the mountain this time, we received a letter from the Blue Mountain Sect. Your shizun4 means for you to attend the Sword Competition after two or three months. You will go to gain some experience.¡± Yun Yangzi conveyed the information simply, observing his disciples¡¯ reactions.


    Yun He was his most prized disciple, with talent soaring to the heavens. Thus, he wished to pass down everything he had learned during his lifetime to her, as his legacy. Exactly four years prior, at the Blue Cloud Sect4 Sword Competition, he brought Yun He, who was only fifteen years old at the time, along with him. Unexpectedly, Yun He had come in eighth place, even defeating Gu Shi, the oldest disciple of Yun Yangzi¡¯s shixiong, Liu Qi.


    Although Gu Yun did not have as much natural talent as Yun He, he was not far away. He was diligent, studying and practicing every day, and achieved a small amount of success.


    And Jiang Ling, who did not have any talent for martial arts, was brought up under shifu¡¯s guidance. However, she discovered that her dantian could not hold qi beyond a thin layer. She could not even exchange palm strikes with people. Her shallow sea of qi was like a chicken rib: of little to no value, but a shame to just discard.


    After studying for a few years, her internal force had made no progress. Often, she had to watch her shijie and shixiong learn new sword forms, and she sighed to the heavens about the injustice. She did not show it on her face, but in her bones, she had not yet admitted defeat. Because she could not gather her internal force, she could not learn these forms. Just as she despised how weak her dantian was, treating it like a useless chicken rib, she also utilized it. Yun Yangzi taught her the way of qinggong and nimble sword maneuvers. For small opponents from Jianghu, these nimble sword arts were enough, and if she found a strong opponent, running was a clever option.


    Even though the Crane Song Sect was independent, Yun Yangzi was Blue Mountain Sect¡¯s Luyi-zhenren¡¯s5 third disciple. When he was young, he and his shijie and shixiong made names for themselves in Jianghu. Seventeen years ago, the sect was in turmoil, and Yun Yangzi was habitually lax in discipline. He did not get along with his staid, old-fashioned shixiong, and since his shixiong wanted to take over the position of sect leader, he felt uneasy at the Blue Mountain Sect. He took his leave of his shifu Luyi-zhenren and brought the youthful Yun He and Jiang Ling to Crane Song Mountain to establish his own school. He would only return once every four years, for the Sword Competition, and he used to leave his three disciples behind on Crane Song Mountain to ¡°run their own course.¡± Four years prior, when he took Yun He with him, Gu Yun brought Jiang Ling down the mountain to pass their days in the village performing farm work. This time, they would be making a clean return to Blue Cloud Sect.


    Jiang Ling and Gu Yun heard the news, and in their hearts was an uncontrollable anticipation and joyousness. Ever since they were small, besides the Crane Song Sect and the villages at the foot of the mountain, the two of them had never been anywhere else. After hearing that, this time, they could go to the hundred-year-old Blue Mountain Sect to gain experience out in the world, they could not conceal the feeling in their hearts. The warm glow of the candle light fell on their faces, their eyes sparkling.


    Yun Yangzi looked at the expressions of these two disciples, and he felt like he was looking at his own time as a youth. Yes, children always grow up and fly away. He swept away his previous worries, revealing a youthful vigor as he said: ¡°This competition is not for representing this master in winning or losing, but for broadening your horizons! You will listen to everything your shijie tells you, understand?¡±


    ¡°Shifu won¡¯t be going?¡± Jiang Ling quickly saw the meaning behind Yun Yangzi¡¯s words.


    ¡°You three know that your shibo and I cannot speak two sentences to each other without fuming in anger. Especially if this lazy brat is seen by my shixiong. He will lecture us both and say that my teachings are not proper.¡± As he spoke, he poked Jiang Ling¡¯s head, ¡°Your shizun means that all three of you are disciples that were kidnapped and stranded by me. He is getting older, and he cannot resr easy until he sees you. You three have grown up. Go see shizun and wish him well for me. I will enjoy my free time.¡±


    ¡°Shifu, you can rest assured. I will manage shimei.¡± Gu Yun beat his chest, giving Yun Yangzi his guarantee.


    Yun Yangzi shook his head. This disciple was also too restless. It was probably because he never set any rules, and his disciples simply ended up a little willful and capricious. Compared to the large sects with strict regulations and ranks, this one felt much more like a family.


    ¡°Shifu.¡± At this time, Yun He, who was standing to the side, called out to Yun Yangzi. Although she was the eldest shijie, Yun He was only older than her shidi and shimei by a few years, so when shifu was not by her side, she felt a little uneasy.


    Yun Yangzi listened to Yun He¡¯s worries, twisting his beard as he said: ¡°Yun He went with this master to Blue Mountain Sect last time, and is already familiar with the way. This is just another common form of cultivation down the mountain. Although the journey will be long, you are returning to your own sect, after all. There is no need to be worried. There are still three months before you will go to Blue Mountain. You three can go on a trip to Yuzhou. Yuzhou is a major center of communication for all four cardinal directions, so people of Jianghu and government officials gather there. It¡¯s very lively, with many opportunities to have fun. You three can go to Yuzhou for fun first. It won¡¯t be too late to go to Blue Mountain later.¡±


    Yun Yangzi handed over some trivial tasks to them, then sent them off to rest. They spent two days preparing for the journey.


    Jiang Ling stayed in the same room as Yun He, pestering her about how things were outside. When Yun He was fourteen and she and Yun Yangzi left the mountain, it had also been her first time experiencing the outside world. Yun Yangzi had taken Yun He to Yuzhou and Luoyang, as well as other lively cities and towns, before returning to the Blue Mountain Sect. She had also experienced many interesting and novel things on the road.


    Blue Mountain Sect was one of four major sects. Situated on Blue Mountain, which reached high into the clouds, the palaces of the Blue Mountain Sect were embellished impeccably and highly dignified. The sect had many disciples, most of which were outer disciples. Inner disciples must be chosen by the sect leader or by a sect elder, usually based on the disciple¡¯s spiritual roots and potential. These disciples would receive the imparted knowledge and wisdom of the sect leader or elder and had the possibility of inheriting their legacy.


    Jiang Ling propped her chin on her hand as she listened to Yun He¡¯s story, her heart itching to set off immediately. Her brow suddenly tightened, and she said: ¡°This Blue Mountain is so tall, there must be many stairs, but I won¡¯t have to sweep endlessly. Here, as soon as I sweep at the base of the mountain steps, leaves have fallen at the top of the mountain again.¡±


    When she heard this, Yun He let out a soft chuckle: ¡°You still resent shifu for scolding you today?¡±


    Jiang Ling: ¡°It was cultivation! Cultivation!¡± She placed both hands on the table and lifted herself up, throwing herself over into her bedding. Taking advantage of her position, rolled up in her bedding, she continued her spontaneous speech fluidly: ¡°And now it is time for sleep cultivation.¡±


    Yun He was used to her childish manner, so she blew out the light and prepared to sleep.


    Some time passed. Moonlight filtered into the room, and the cries of insects outside the window flowed continuously and peacefully. It seemed like the two people in the room had already fallen asleep, but soon Jiang Ling sighed softly, saying quietly: ¡°Shijie, you say that I am like this. At the Blue Mountain Sect, can I only be an outer disciple, sweeping the mountain gate for my entire life?¡± Although Jiang Ling had grown up under the encouraging guidance of her shifu, shijie, and shixiong, she could not gather internal force, which was a large blow to her. No matter how hard she worked, and no matter how easy the mental cultivation techniques were for her to comprehend, every time she tried to wield martial arts, it was like trying to catch water with her bare hands. The water flowed out from between her fingers, only leaving behind a lingering wetness on her hands. To say she was not disheartened would be false, but all she could do was diligently study qinggong and nimble sword arts every day.


    Jiang Ling opened her dark eyes and looked toward Yun He¡¯s bedding. Yun He had not answered her, so Jiang Ling thought she had already fallen asleep. Jiang Ling was going to turn back over and continue sleeping, but she heard Yun He sit up and say to Jiang Ling earnestly: ¡°A Ling, you really do have a gift. There is no need to belittle yourself.¡±


    ¡°Shijie¡­¡± Jiang Ling¡¯s eyes stung. She really wanted to go over and hug her shijie, so she did, just like when she was little and would crawl into shijie¡¯s warm bedding to snuggle after suffering a grievance. She leaned against shijie, a warm feeling of fulfillment in her heart, and fell asleep before she knew it.


    T/N:


    1 °¢ôá, an affectionate way to call Jiang Ling, who¡¯s given name means plume/tail feathers.


    2 For now, I will be sticking to the terminology shifu, shimei, shixiong, etc. because the english translations are super bulky. Here¡¯s a breakdown of what they mean and some examples:


    3 ÇṦ, or ¡®lightness skills¡¯, pretty much the flying around, wirework in wuxia dramas


    4 Yun Yangzi is referred to as shifu, and shizun refers to Luyi-zhenren.


    5 So, the author refers to both ÇàɽÅÉ, translated here as Blue Mountain Sect, and ÇàÔÆÅÉ, translated here as Blue Cloud Sect, pretty much interchangeable. I will edit this once I have more context about the difference here. Also, Çà refers to more of a turquoise/cyan color, somewhere between blue and green, but I thought blue would sound better. Again, I will probably edit this later.


    6 ÕæÈË zhenren, Daoist title meaning ¡®real man,¡¯ or someone who reached enlightenment

 CH 2.1

    Two days passed. The three disciples said their farewells to Yun Yangzi and took their first steps into Jianghu.


    Gu Yun and Jiang Ling made special trips to say goodbye to villagers and hunting families that they frequently visited, saying that they were leaving the mountain to temper themselves. The aunts and uncles1 in the village thought of them as their own children, and for a time, they were reluctant to part with them, handing them fruit to take along on their journey. They gave the villagers their thanks, purchased three horses, then set off straight toward Yuzhou.


    Even before entering Yuzhou, vendor¡¯s stalls and peddlers lined the street. The three of them sat down at a tea shop.


    ¡°Did you hear? The Whale Gang2 detained the goods from Mingzhou¡¯s Gu family!¡± A shaven-headed uncle at the table next to them chatted with his companions.


    ¡°This Gu family of Mingzhou is a well-known merchant family in Jiangnan. Their business has actually grown so large that they¡¯ve come to Yuzhou? They will surely meet with a dragon3, and I will watch them eat their loss. The Gu family has no way of dealing with the people of Jianghu. Their hands cannot reach this far.¡± Said another, an older brother with a face full of stubble, like a performer in a play.


    ¡°This is the territory of the Tang Sect. Have they not taken notice?¡± A lean young man said, sipping his tea.


    The older brother with the beard replied: ¡°The eldest daughter of the Gu family is afraid of offending the Tang family¡­¡± These older brothers and uncles continued their conversation enthusiastically.


    Gu Yun, who was sitting to the side drinking his tea, did not know what expression to wear.


    ¡°Shixiong, could this ¡­ be your family? Should we go and help?¡± After hearing the conversation, Jiang Ling was in high spirits. She knew that Gu Yun was from Mingzhou and his family engaged in trade. The Gu family also sometimes had someone come over with gifts. Aside from a few items, Yun Yangzi sent everything, including the silver, back. To run into family matters after just descending the mountain, Jiang Ling felt ready to make some trouble.


    ¡°No, my sister can handle it.¡± Although Gu Yun had separated from his family when young, he often received letters from home, and he was more or less aware of the situation. He knew that his sister was dependable, but he could not help feeling anxious.


    This Whale Gang was an unruly but mediocre group. A large sect, the Tang Sect, resided in Yuzhou. The Tang family did not mind those stealing water by the riverbank; once a small business itself, the Tang family would turn a blind eye to certain affairs. This time, when the Gu family¡¯s eldest daughter, Gu Zhao, came to Yuzhou to negotiate on business, the Tang family also knew about this, and provided many benefits. However, it seemed like the eldest daughter of the head of the Tang family, Tang Wanyi, was not satisfied, and the negotiations broke down. The Tang family did not want to protect this batch of goods after all, and the Whale Gang moved on their devious plan.


    Yun He saw that they had finished listening and drinking their tea, and she called them over to set off for the city to find an inn for the night.


    As expected, Yuzhou city was truly prosperous. Restaurants and tea shops lined both sides of the street, with attendants at the entrances calling out to attract customers. Travelers sauntered by in an endless stream. The streets were paved with neatly cut stones, a far cry from the small villages at the foot of Crane Song Mountain, which would be filled with mud at the slightest rain.


    Come night, the stars were faint while the moon shone brightly, a single solitary cloud by its side. A perfect setting for a nighttime adventure.


    On the second floor of the inn, the back window opened slightly, and two shadows passed through the crevice, landing firmly in the courtyard outside. The two people were clothed for traveling at night, and with their qinggong, they lightly swept along the buildings¡¯ eaves and soon left the city. They moved toward the north part of the city, to the wharfs along the river. Two burly figures inspected the boats along the riverside with torches, while three people sat to the side, resting.


    ¡°Shixiong, I inquired about this place this afternoon. The Whale Gang has detained your family¡¯s goods here.¡±


    ¡°Hm.¡± Gu Yun prepared to take out the sword at his side, but Jiang Ling pressed down on his hand vigilantly.


    ¡°Someone¡¯s here.¡± Jiang Ling reminded Gu Yun, her voice lowered. Jiang Ling specialized in qinggong and light movements, so her five senses were much more perceptive than the average person.


    Soon, another group of nimble martial artists, wearing sturdy, dark clothing, appeared next to the two burly dockworkers. Each wore a silver mask, with a shining ¡°Tang¡±  character on their belts. They were from the Tang Sect.


    They released some silver needles soundlessly toward the five people on the boat, and the group of three swiftly entered the ship¡¯s cabin to dodge. The dockworkers laid on the ground, and it was unknown if they were dead or alive.


    Soon, the indistinct sounds of fighting drifted out of the cabin, then the sounds of people begging for mercy: ¡°My lady, it was I who had eyes yet failed to see Mt. Tai4. In the future, I will be more diligent. The goods from the Gu family will be delivered safely to Mingzhou.¡±


    The eldest daughter of the Tang family had unexpectedly come in person. Jiang Ling could not help but slant a measuring look at Gu Yun.


    ¡°Your sister is really capable. Her relationship with the Tang Sect is not as bad as expected.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s business. Since the groups and sects of Jianghu are also involved, so of course my sister is capable.¡± Gu Yun used the passing opportunity to praise his sister. In his heart, he was naturally proud of his sister Gu Zhao, who could maintain good relationships with both Jianghu and the cliques of the business world.


    ¡°Looks like the Tang Sect took the first opportunity to uphold chivalry. Let¡¯s go back.¡± Although Jiang Ling felt that it was a pity, she shook it off. After all, the troubles for the Gu family had been resolved, and the two of them returned to the inn.


    ¡°Everything was solved?¡± Once they entered through the window, they heard Yun He speak from where she sat beside the table, scaring the two nearly out of their wits.


    ¡°Aiya, shijie, you almost scared us to death!¡± Jiang Ling hurried to grab the lamp. She looked at Yun He¡¯s expression, which appeared serene on the surface, but revealed a faint glimpse of the fury underneath. When Jiang Ling glanced at the hem of Yun He¡¯s clothes, she discovered that they were still damp from the dew outside. Because she was worried about them, she had gone out, too. With a warm feeling in her heart, Jiang Ling rushed to recognize her mistake: ¡°Shijie, we won¡¯t act on our own next time!¡± After she finished speaking, she winked at Gu Yun.


    ¡°Ah, right, we were wrong. We won¡¯t dare to next time!¡± Gu Yun understood the signal.


    ¡°Since everything was resolved, you two should rest. Next time, do not meddle in the trivial affairs of Jianghu. We are only here to explore and have fun, not deliberately muddy the waters.¡±


    The shixiong-shimei duo nodded in agreement.


    1 Not their actual uncles and aunts, but y¡¯all understand. Same goes for ¡®older brother.¡¯


    2 Åž¨°ï, i.e. Whale Gang, a faction referenced in some Wuxia. I might leave it as Paijing instead of Whale, cause it sounds kind of weird in English. For now, it¡¯s Whale Gang.


    3 i.e. someone more powerful that can kick their butt


    4 ÓÐÑÛ²»Ê¶Ì©É½, meaning that the person in front of you is super important/powerful and you did not recognize them.


    Also, on a side note, I have some personal things going on, so I¡¯m posting the half chapter I have and will hopefully get the other half done soon.

 CH 2.2

    Before they knew it, they had been in Yuzhou for half a month and had already had their fill of sauntering around.


    One day, the three disciples finished their martial arts practice, ate breakfast, then went out to look around. At this time of day, only a few shops were open, and spatterings of people rushed about as some shop owners called out to customers, creating a somewhat tranquil atmosphere wholly different from the bustle of the daytime.


    Jiang Ling sought out a tea stall by the street side to sit down and wile away some free time.


    ¡°Ding, ding, ding¡­¡± The sound of bells broke the tranquility of the scene. Jiang Ling turned her gaze in the direction of the sound, and she soon saw a line of camels. Dazzling in the light of the early morning sun, each camel had a small bell hanging around its neck, a beautiful saddle between its humps, and bundled supplies hanging on either side. With each step, a ¡®ding-dong¡± jingle resonated melodiously, grabbing the attention of passers-by.


    It was a caravan from the western regions. The person in the lead was tall in stature, their head wrapped in a scarlet head-covering and their neck covered by a piece of white silk. When they pulled up that piece of white silk to shade their face, one could vaguely see from the features remaining exposed that they had a different appearance than that of someone from the central plains. On their wrist, there was even a dark blue beaded bracelet. Compared to the methods of dress of the central plains, this person was a little overstated.


    Jiang Ling leaned over to take a look, and she found that most of the people from the western regions were dressed this way. This was the first time she had seen foreigners, and Jiang Ling was unconsciously staring absent-mindedly, completely forgetting about common courtesy.


    A piece of carnelian-colored jade caught Jiang Ling¡¯s eye, making her self-awareness return. Lifting her gaze, she saw that it was a pair of amber-colored irises. She had never seen eyes in that shade before. Sparking in the sunlight was that carnelian-colored jade, hung on a silver chain, dangling on the forehead of a beautiful and spirited woman. The woman had a section of hair braided tightly to her scalp on either side of her head, with the rest of her hair loosely cascading down behind her. A few long, thin braids hung loose by her veiled face. She was clad in a white and red robe, but this robe had a different kind of elegance than robes from the central plains. It was sleeveless, the exposed, slender arms revealing a metallic bangle and a carnelian bracelet. She saw her eyes and brow curve as she said: ¡°Excuse me little lady, how do I get to Shengping Inn?¡± She spoke the language of the central plains very standardly, her words crisp and clear.


    Shengping Inn was where the three disciples were currently staying. Having heard the question, she pointed: ¡°Go this way. Pass two streets, and you will see a large dyehouse. Once you pass the dyehouse, you will see the inn.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡± The woman turned her head to say some words to her companions in her native language, which Jiang Ling did not understand. All of those big, tall people regarded her with extreme deference, and it seemed like the leader of the caravan was this woman. Once they finished speaking, the woman waved her hand in farewell. The attendant by her side saluted Jiang Ling, then followed the woman into the city.


    As the ringing sounds of the bells gradually got further and further away, Jiang Ling felt like she woke up from a stupor.


    ¡°Do all women from the western regions have eyes like that?¡± Jiang Ling saw that the iris color of the woman¡¯s attendants and people of the central plains are about the same. Upon closer inspection, the color is somewhat bland, unlike the woman¡¯s, who¡¯s eyes were, at one glance, different from any other¡¯s.


    ¡°Yuzhou even has caravans from foreign lands?¡± The tea server¡¯s eyes were wide. It was evidently his first time seeing foreigners, as well.


    ¡°Seventeen years ago, there were many. Later, Manichaeism was pushed back by the unified effort of the Blue Mountain Sect and the other three major Daoist sects, and they returned west of Longxi. In recent years, there were rumors that they wanted to rebuild their relationship with Wulin, and they consequently started coming back. The caravans of the western regions also caught wind of this rumor and thought to earn some money.¡± The owner was a gray-haired, grizzled old man, like a living piece of history. The servers let out an ¡°oh,¡± not really understanding.


    Jiang Ling had heard Yun Yangzi mention this too. Twenty-five years ago, Manichaeism arrived from the western regions, and people from the central plains and western regions frequently crossed paths. Originally, those from the western regions and the sects of the central plains took a mutually noninterventionist approach, and for a few years, everything was peaceful. Who knew that Manichaeism would spread so rapidly, its crowd of believers increasing sharply. The teachings of Manichaeism were different from the strict regulations of the central plains sects, and the followers of these sects were a mixed bag of good and bad. The common people and other smaller sects have both received their share of harms from those bad apples. The leader, Azar, who did not know any martial arts, gradually developed an inner demon1 and, ignoring the warnings of the central plains sects, stubbornly clung to his path of domination, finally resulting in Luyi-zhenren gathering together the Daoists sects to deal him a severe injury, after which he entered seclusion seventeen years ago. The Manichaens then returned to their homeland, and Luyi-zhenren, who had lost his beloved disciples, likewise entered seclusion and passed the mantle of sect leader to his eldest disciple, Liu Qi, Yun Yangzi¡¯s shixiong. From then on, he took no interest in the affairs of the world.


    Jiang Ling thought of how the foreign caravan was moving into the Shengping Inn and how there was an opportunity to meet again, and she immediately set off to return to the inn.


    Sure enough, the camels were already settled in the back courtyard, eating feed, and in the central area of the inn, people from the western regions ate breakfast and conversed in a language she did not understand. No matter where she looked, she did not see the woman from earlier.


    ¡°Hey, have you seen? It¡¯s my first time seeing people from the western regions!¡± At some point, Gu Yun had materialized next to Jiang Ling, a snack in hand and mouth flapping as he explained the novelty.


    ¡°I saw them earlier. The ignorant always find something to marvel at.¡± Jiang Ling threw Gu Yun a glance like he was a bumpkin fresh from the countryside. Even though they were two of the same kind, Jiang Ling felt that, because she saw the foreigners fifteen minutes prior, she was still more worldly than Gu Yun.


    ¡°Disgraceful girl, not showing any respect for your elders.¡± Gu Yun pushed her head, pulling Jiang Ling with one hand as he said: ¡°I went out shopping and got you and shijie some snacks made of glutinous rice that the locals call a ¡®sticky rice cake.¡¯ They¡¯re delicious, come try some.¡±


    He simultaneously spoke and dragged Jiang Ling back to the room.


    1 ÐÄħ, i.e. heart demon, negative emotions or attachments that prevent breakthroughs in cultivation/martial arts

 CH 3.1

    The three disciples had seen their fill of Yuzhou, and they decided to visit the imperial city of Luoyang before heading to the Blue Mountain Sect.


    After making the decision to leave, the three sorted out their possessions.


    Jiang Lin carried a bag over her shoulder as she made her way downstairs. However, she did not see any of the western people from earlier, nor did she see the woman. She thought that they must be tired from their travels and went to rest.


    ¡°What are you looking for?¡± Gu Yun saw that Jiang Ling was looking all around for something, and he came up to her to look, saying with derision: ¡°Looks like those westerners aren¡¯t here. What, are the gentlemen of the west more charming than the ones we have here?¡±


    ¡°More charming than you, that¡¯s for sure.¡± Jiang Ling dashed away, scurrying out of the door.


    Before Gu Yun had the chance to get mad, she had already disappeared. He could only let out a sigh, thinking that when his shimei fled, no one could catch her.


    Yun He looked on and laughed softly.


    ¡°You are leaving?¡±


    Just as Jiang Ling took a step outside, she heard a voice that sounded like a silver bell. It was her. She was dressed the same as she had been that morning, and it seemed like she was just returning, but she was not wearing the veil now, revealing her beautiful, alluring features. She looked like she was about the same age as shijie, and she was slightly taller than Jiang Ling. Without considering her unusual eye color, her appearance was not drastically different from a person of the central plains.


    ¡°Ah¡­Mhm.¡± Jiang Lin was out of sorts, then, sensing that she had been a little discourteous, hurried to add: ¡°Me, my shixiong, and my shijie have some business to take care of, so we are taking our leave.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for this morning.¡± The woman thanked her once again, ¡°My name is He Xi. And yours?¡±


    ¡°Jiang Ling, the ¡®Ling¡¯ with a feather in it.1¡± Encountering others like this, Jiang Ling was not very coy.


    Then, Yun He and Gu Yun also exited the inn, saw that Jiang Ling was conversing with someone, and signaled to her with a nod.


    Jiang Ling saw her shijie and shixiong moving further away from her, so Jiang Ling assumed a posture to bid farewell. She saw He Xi bend at the waist, drawing near her ear: ¡°We will meet again, Jiang Ling.¡±


    Warm breath brushed the shell of her ear, and for a moment, she felt an itch in her heart that she could not describe. Before she could react and ask her what she had meant, that person had already stepped back, opening up the distance between them, tilted her head, and waved to Jiang Ling in farewell.


    Jiang Ling covered her ear with a hand, waved her other woodenly, then turned to follow her shixiong and shijie.


    The three of them traveled for half a month before at last setting out for the Blue Mountain.


    ¡°No wonder Luoyang is the imperial city.¡± Jiang Ling reminisced about the bustling sights of Luoyang, internally heaving a sigh, ¡°Once I retire from Jianghu, I want to live in Luoyang.¡±


    ¡°Why do you want to live in Luoyang?¡±


    ¡°It would be very convenient, with many shops right outside my door. There is no need to go up and down the mountain, either. Shixiong, what about you?¡±


    ¡°You can retire, and I will inherit shifu¡¯s position, growing our Crane Mountain into a major sect!¡± Gu Yun¡¯s voice was filled with fighting spirit.


    ¡°And shijie?¡± Both of them turned to look at Yun He.


    Yun He was asked this, but, actually, she had never thought about it until now. She only wanted to live happily with her shifu, shidi, and shimei. She had not thought of other possibilities.


    Yun He still had not thought of an answer when she saw someone lying on the road in front of her.


    Yun He hurried forward to check the person¡¯s pulse. They were still alive.


    Upon seeing this, Jiang Ling also rushed forward and passed her water flask to Yun He, who lifted the person up and poured the water into their mouth for them to drink.


    The person¡¯s face was entirely covered in mud and filth, their clothes ruined, only one of their shoes remained, and their hair was tangled into one big nest. At that moment, it was not clear whether the person was a man or a woman.


    Gu Yun brought his horse forward to carry the person on its back, and they found the ruins of a temple nearby to settle them.


    Yun He used a damp cloth to remove the dirt and grime from the person¡¯s face, revealing the neat, plain countenance of a woman.


    It seemed that the woman had slept long enough, and as her senses awakened, she felt the presence of the people next to her. She backed away from Yun He in fear, saying repeatedly: ¡°Don¡¯t come any closer, don¡¯t come any closer!¡±


    The three of them were all startled by her actions.


    Yun He moved forward and gripped her hand: ¡°Don¡¯t be scared, we won¡¯t hurt you.¡±


    The woman timidly looked at them, at the kind looks on their faces and the sword at their waists, and realized that they were from Jianghu. Tears started flowing out of her eyes, and she gripped Yun He¡¯s hand back: ¡°Great heroine, please save my elder sister! She was taken away by bandits!¡±


    The three disciples learned from the woman that her name was Chu Yue, and that she and her sister, A Xin, originally lived in Luoyang, but they had a quarrel with their family and went out of the city to divert themselves from their troubles back at home. Two days prior there had been a spell of heavy rain, and the coachman had taken the wrong route. After wandering the mountain roads looking for the proper one, night fell, and they had inadvertently found themselves in the territory of a group of bandits.


    Cue Yue had escaped from the bandits in the chaos, but the coachman and A Xin had been caught by the bandits. She was shocked and frightened, hiding behind a thick clump of foliage until the sun had risen, then she found the right road and went to find some government soldiers. She walked for a day, but she collapsed by the road out of hunger and exhaustion.


    ¡°Great heroine, young heroes, I am begging you! Please save my sister!¡± Chu Yue called distressingly, her face full of tears.


    1 for context, Jiang Ling¡¯s given name, ôá, has the character in it, Óð, which means feather. She was distinguishing which ¡®Ling¡¯ it was.

 CH 3.2

    Yun He¡¯s brow creased, but as she glanced at Jiang Ling and Gu Yun, they both nodded. Yun He put down her misgivings, nodding as she replied: ¡°A ling, go and investigate the bandits¡¯ current situation.¡±


    Jiang Ling heeded her words, swiftly changing into her night-traveling garments. She headed off in the direction Chu Yue mentioned, disappearing into the night.


    Gu Yun was a little worried. He paced around the dilapidated temple, wearing out his mouth as he repeated ¡°I knew I should have gone with A Ling,¡± but Yun He only commented that even if he went along, all he would be able to do was shadow Jiang Ling.


    The firewood burnt in the temple for the entire night. The lingering sparks crackled and the temple was shrouded in an air of drowsiness. At the break of dawn, Jiang Ling returned to the temple, covered in dew.


    The sleepiness of the resting travelers vanished at once.


    ¡°Shijie, I¡¯ve investigated thoroughly.¡± Once Jiang Ling returned, she wasted no time in conveying the information to Yun He. She reported that the bandits were few in number, and their fortified hideout had two layers, but there were not any holding cells. She guessed that the main portion of their hideout lay underground. Altogether, there were less than forty bandits with some level of martial arts. It would be difficult to rescue them, but not impossible.


    ¡°I listened in on two guards. Their da-ge1 is getting married today. We should act then.¡±


    ¡°Unbelievable, they really will use any means to plunder.¡± Gu Yun¡¯s fists clenched in anger, wishing nothing more to immediately bring the brigands to justice.


    Chu Yue¡¯s face went white as she heard them speak: ¡°It couldn¡¯t be my sister¡­¡±


    ¡°Rest assured, even if it is your sister, he will not be getting married today.¡± Jiang Ling tightened her fist, revealing some of her fighting spirit.


    ¡°A Yun, those bandits are bound to be drinking wine tonight. Go to the nearby garrison and collect some knockout drops and antidotes.¡± Although these people were not anything to dread, there was, after all, strength in numbers and the kidnapped A Xin to consider. To avoid unnecessary trouble, Yun He made a plan, ¡°Then, when the bandits have been knocked out, we will rescue them.¡±


    Gu Yun and Yun He would lay in wait on the mountain path. If they encountered the wine cart, they would cut it off and mix in the knockout drops, and if there was no wine cart, then they would grab two guards and use their clothing to sneak into the kitchen and poison the wine there. Jiang Ling was responsible for keeping watch over Chu Yue from the outside. After waiting for a day, they did not see the wine-filled horse cart, but as the day darkened and Yun He was preparing to give up, a horse cart meanderingly arrived with two bandits on board. One was lean, his cheeks sunken, and the other was robust, his face covered in a sheen of oil. Both of their faces were bright red as their lips chattered away. In one glance, it was obvious that they had already sneakily had some of the wine.


    Gu Yun picked up a stone in the palm of his hand and threw it. The stone smashed into the back of the lean bandit¡¯s skull, making him fall off the cart. He landed on his head and was immediately knocked out.


    The robust man woke up from his wine-induced stupor at that moment, immediately drawing the saber at his side and standing on top of the cart: ¡°What son of a bitch dares to steal from this master¡­¡± The man had hardly finished speaking before Yun He chopped his neck with a hand, and he was knocked out as well.


    The two of them mixed in the knockout drops. Yun He thought to take a jar of wine and fed the passed-out mountain bandits two mouthfuls of wine.


    The two of them easily changed into their clothes and swaggered into the hideout.


    The bandit in the back kitchen saw that they had brought the wine and could not help but reprimand them, ¡°Old Six, Old Eight, did you sneak some wine on the road?¡±2


    Gu Yun and Yun He kept their mouths shut and did not speak.


    The bandit looked again and realized that it was not Old Six and Old Eight. His eyebrows, which were already crowded together, pinched even more in scrutiny, ¡°You two look unfamiliar. Where did you come from?¡±


    ¡°Brother, you are really insightful. Brother Six and Brother Eight did sneak some wine, and they passed out, drunk! We had to bring the wine for da-ge ourselves.¡± Gu Yun changed his voice and bent his waist to toady up to him, smoothly grabbing a jar of wine and filling the bandit¡¯s bowl, bringing it up to his mouth, ¡°Take a rest, have a bowl.¡± He pulled out a small bit of silver and put it into the bandit¡¯s belt, patting as he said, ¡°Don¡¯t tell the higher-ups, or Brother Six and Brother Three will meet with disaster.¡±3


    The bandit narrowed his eyes at Gu Yun and Yun He, ¡°You¡¯re a sweet talker, I¡¯ll give this bowl to you.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, brother. I¡¯ve wanted to try the celebratory wine for a while now!¡± Gu Yun was overjoyed, drinking the wine in one gulp.


    The bandit looked at Gu Yun, but the wrinkle in his brow eased.


    ¡°Go bring the wine over. Don¡¯t let the other brothers keep waiting.¡±


    Gu Yun hurriedly nodded in acknowledgement, pouring the bandit another bowl of the celebratory wine so he could enjoy it too.


    ¡°Shijie, good thing you told me to buy some antidote.¡± Gu Yun commended Yun He¡¯s foresight.


    ¡°You performed well, too.¡±


    Nearby, two people kept watch silently on a treetop.


    Jiang Ling remained outside of the hideout. She first saw Gu Yun deliver some wine to the bandits guards, and in no time, the bandits at the entrance to the mountain hideout were all lying on the ground.


    Chu Yue urgently wanted to rush in and rescue the others, but Jiang Ling held her back and made her wait.


    They waited until Gu Yun signaled his success with a whistle, then entered the hideout to join up with Gu Yun and Yun He.


    The four of them entered the main area of the base. The inside was decorated with lanterns and streamers, red silk symboling festivity draped everywhere. Since they were mountain brigands, there was not much elegance. Things were draped where they could be draped and laid out if otherwise, overall incongruous with the surroundings. The mountain bandits were indolently heavy-jowled and pot-bellied. The scene was a complete mess, as some reclined beside the path hugging wine jars, and others laid on their stomachs beside the long table, food on their faces. Yun He motioned for Gu Yun to search for any imprisoned victims. Three people entered the main hall.


    The head of the mountain bandits sat in the main seat in the hall, clothed for the occasion, his head drooping. His face was concealed, a nine-ring saber4 propped up by his hand. The bride was also knocked out, her head covered with red silk as she laid off to the side.


    1 ´ó¸ç da-ge, older brother, likely referring to their leader here.


    2 ÀÏÁù, ÀÏ°Ë, Old Six and Old Eight, the bandits¡¯ names. Later, Gu Yun calls them Áù¸ç and °Ë¸ç (same ¡®ge¡¯ as in the first footnote), meaning ¡®Older Brother Six¡¯ and ¡®Older Brother Eight¡¯.


    3 Uh, the raws say Èý¸ç, or ¡®Brother Three/Third Brother¡¯, but I think the author meant Brother Eight? I left it as is, but if you¡¯re wondering, I was confused too.


    4 See image

 CH 4.1

    ¡°A Xin!¡± Chu Yue threw herself over to the bride, tears streaming down her face. Her hands trembled as she lifted the piece of red silk.


    The red silk fluttered to the ground, but the bride was not the A Xin that she thought of day and night.


    ¡°No, she is not A Xin. Where is A Xin?¡± Chu Yue let go of the bride helplessly.


    Then, the bandit leader¡¯s pinky finger moved slightly, the webbing between his thumb and index finger tightening. Suddenly, he was wielding the nine-ring saber, cleaving down toward Chu Yue and the bride. Jiang Ling reacted first, pulling out the sword at her waist and flying forward. The blade clashed with the bandit¡¯s, but Jiang Ling knew that she was no match for his internal force, so she drew her blade down, discharging the energy of the bandit¡¯s saber as she slanted her sword toward the side of the table, slicing it in two as the saber¡¯s tip sank into the ground. Jiang Ling turned, stepping onto the bandit¡¯s saber, making use of the blade¡¯s energy to grab Chu Yue, hugging her close as she put a distance of five zhang1 between them.


    Yun He immediately drew her sword and faced him. Although the bandit leader had drunk the knockout drops, his internal force had reduced the efficacy of the drug. The moment he saw this group of children, he became infuriated.


    The bandit leader shook his head to sober up, his eyes flashing ominously. A scar ran across his right eye, adding to the leader¡¯s repulsive appearance. He was tall, yet his movements were light and nimble. As his nine-ring saber danced and wind swept out from the tip of his blade, Yun He countered every one of his moves. Their master was Yun Yangzi, so, naturally, they used the agile sword arts of the Blue Mountain Sect, each motion of the sword as precise as a silken thread, as fluid as water, and as graceful as a swimming dragon. The bandit leader quickly noticed that his saber skills would not work, so he switched to hard movements, hoping to confront Yun He¡¯s force with equal force.


    He poured the strength of his legs into his saber, barreling down on the crown of Yun He¡¯s head, but she met the qi-infused blade head-on, not afraid in the slightest.


    ¡°Dang?¡± The middle of nine-ring saber completely fractured, the snapped blade revolving several times in the air before piercing the boar¡¯s head on the celebratory table.


    The bandit leader abandoned the useless blade in his hands, his trembling rump landing on the ground. Yun He waved her sword lightly, positioning the blade at the bandit leader¡¯s throat.


    ¡°Where are the others imprisoned?¡±


    ¡°Great heroine, have mercy, have mercy. They are all in the basement.¡± His clothing rustled as he pulled out a key from his waist.


    That moment, Gu Yun heard people calling from the basement, saying that they were all below, but there was no key. Then, he saw a key float over to him.


    Jiang Ling led Chu Yue down to the basement, saying, ¡°Sister A Xin is definitely imprisoned below.¡±


    ¡°Mhm.¡± Chu Yue nodded her head.


    ¡­¡­


    ¡°Thank you, great heroine! Thank you, young heroes!¡±


    The people they had saved were all the young and old, women and children. They addressed their rescuers as they would their second parents, shedding tears of gratitude for the three of them. Chu Yue found the coachman that had traveled with her and A Xin and asked him about her sister¡¯s whereabouts, but it was like the coachman had lost his wits. He was unable to form complete sentences, his spirit evidently scared away by the incident.


    Seeing that everyone had been released from the prison, yet she had still not seen her sister, Chu Yue¡¯s panic started to leak out of her heart. She covered her face with her shaking hands, her tears seeping out through the gaps of her fingers. Suddenly, she raised her head, and with bloodshot eyes, she picked up a dagger from off the ground and staggered into the main hall.


    ¡°What about the lady you caught that day in the rain?¡± Chu Yue glared at the trussed-up bandit leader.


    ¡°Dead.¡± The bandit leader was clearly used to seeing suicidal women, so he spoke without any care.


    ¡°Wh-what did you say?¡± Chu Yue had received a definite answer, one that had confirmed what she had most not wanted to hear. Her vision went dark, and she felt a little faint.


    ¡°That was a truly chaste woman. The brothers only touched her once, and she ran herself through¡­¡±


    ¡°Swine!¡±


    Chu Yue suddenly sat on the bandit¡¯s body, her hair hanging low and covering her cheeks. She gripped the dagger between her fingers and plunged it deep into the bandit leader¡¯s chest, her shoulders trembling softly. The bandit leader let out a final breath, his head falling off to one side.


    The three of them, who had witnessed everything, did not know what to say. Although the plan had succeeded, their rescue efforts had failed.


    Jiang Ling reached out a hand and took two steps toward Chu Yue, wanting to console her.


    ¡°It was me. I should not have made you accompany me out of childishness. I am the one who hurt you¡­¡± Round teardrops gushed out of Chu Yue¡¯s eyes, flowing out unceasingly, dripping onto the bandit leader¡¯s chest and intermingling with the fresh blood.


    Chu Yue pulled out the dagger, standing with difficulty. She was like a string puppet that would fall apart at the slightest touch.


    ¡°Miss Chu¡­¡± Jiang Ling moved her lips, but repressed the second half of her sentence.


    ¡°Innards snap with one glance.¡±2 Chu Yue spoke for herself: ¡°Thank you all for helping me rescue A Xin. I am unable to repay your kindness and can only return the favor in the afterlife.¡± Then, she went to take her own life.


    Jiang Ling saw that the situation did not look good and utilized her footwork to qo and grab the dagger. The tip of the blade broke the skin on Jiang Ling¡¯s hand, but she could not stop Chu Yue in time. Chu Yue lost her strength and fell backwards into Jiang Ling¡¯s arms, her blood dying both of their clothes red.


    Yun He and Gu Yun were frozen with panic for a moment. Jiang Ling¡¯s hand tightened its grip on the dagger. The source of the bloodstain on her chest was already indistinguishable.

 CH 4.2

    The three of them tied up the remaining bandits, then entrusted one of the girls they rescued to go find the nearest garrison to clean out the bandit hideout. Lastly, they made arrangements for Chu Yue¡¯s remains, using a tree trunk to fashion a make-do stele.


    Jiang Ling stood beside the grave marker, looking at her own hands. The wound on her hand was not deep and would soon heal, but the pain she felt in her hand was no match for the pain she felt in her heart.


    ¡°Does it still hurt?¡± Yun He grasped Jiang Ling¡¯s hand then asked.


    Jiang Ling shook her head then sighed deeply. If only she had moved a little quicker at that moment.


    ¡°You should not blame yourself.¡±


    They had done their best.


    The trio made their farewells to Chu Yue, then set off toward the Blue Mountain once again.


    Jiang Ling had evidently suffered a blow from this matter. During their travels, she could not muster up a joyful mood, and she was continuously downcast.


    Gu Yun thought up many ways to try and help, but he usually only received an eye roll for his efforts.


    Jiangdu Town was located at the base of the Blue Mountain. Because of the protection offered by the major sects and its position along the Fujiang River, government officials and businessmen operating within Jianghu liked passing through Jiangdu. The green ware craftsmanship in Jiangdu was well-known, attracting many merchants, so while Jiangdu was a small town, it was quite bustling.


    The journey from Jiangdu to the Blue Mountain Sect was only half a day by foot, and going on horseback or using qinggong would shorten the trip to one shichen1. The trio planned to stay in Jiangdu for a day to adjust before heading up the mountain the following day.


    In Jiangdu Town, pedestrians flowed by in endless streams, with lively vendors crying their wares all along the streets. The bustling atmosphere scrubbed away the lingering shadow over the trio. They also followed teachings for keeping a peaceful and effervescent heart, so for these young people, they could quickly overcome the blow.


    ¡°Shijie, A Ling, they sell forging materials here.¡± Gu Yun and Yun He¡¯s swords, ¡°Qian Shui¡± and


    ¡°Chu Yun,¡±2 were casted by the elder of Blue Mountain Sect¡¯s Sword Hall. Jiang Ling was aware that her natural endowments were not worthy of a precious sword and did not trouble Yun Yangzi about it. She picked a random sword to carry at her side, and Yun Yangzi did not insist. Gu Yun looked at the pieces of black iron at a vendor¡¯s stall. Black iron was a first-class material for forging swords, so in his mind, he thought of forging a sword for his shimei.


    The stall¡¯s owner looked at the clothing of the trio, the embroidered bamboo pattern on their belts, and said: ¡°The three of you must be young heroes of the Blue Mountain Sect. You have a good eye! This piece of black iron was just excavated from the mountain. Look at the quality, it would surely make a precious sword!¡±


    The Blue Mountain Sect venerates bamboo. Bamboo was lofty and noble, and so the disciples wore garments adorned with bamboo leaves and grains. Yun Yangzi was a casual person and only gave the three disciples belts with bamboo patterns. The trio was also not inclined to expound on their relationship with the Blue Mountain Sect, and strictly speaking, they would only be considered half-disciples of the Blue Mountain Sect.


    ¡°How much?¡± Gu Yun rubbed his chin.


    ¡°A flat price of one hundred liang.¡±3


    ¡­¡­


    ¡°I think it¡¯s just a piece of broken metal.¡± Jiang Ling pulled away Yun He and Gu Yun and quickly left.


    ¡°They just can¡¯t see quality.¡± The stall owner rolled his eyes at them.


    ¡°He was just trying to run off with our money.¡± Once she was far enough away, Jiang Ling expressed her misgivings, ¡°That one hundred liang would be enough to feed the village by Crane Song Mountain for five years!¡±


    Yun He laughed softly and said that Jiang Ling was the sect¡¯s little accountant. Gu Yun was a little unwilling to leave, but Jiang Ling told him to not take it to heart. A precious sword was not destined for her in the near future. Right now, her destined blade was by her side.


    ¡°Patrons, I apologize, but this inn is already full.¡± The innkeeper wore brown robes and a black gauze cap, smiling obsequiously.


    ¡°Odd, that¡¯s already the third one.¡± Jiang Ling was a little disheartened. They had gone to three inns, but all of them were already fully booked.


    ¡°Patrons, there are some things you aren¡¯t aware of. Recently, there have been many people doing business here, and in a few days, the Blue Mountain Sect will be holding their big Sword Competition, which happens once every four years. Originally, it was a contest of strength between the young inner disciples of the sect, but a while back, the leaders and elders of the four major sects came together and decided that the outer disciples would join the competition as well. From then on, the business of one sect became the business of all four of those sects. The next few days will naturally be a little more busy than normal.¡± The innkeeper spoke freely and composedly, ¡°So, most of the inns here are full.¡±


    The innkeeper saw that the trio, who should also be from the Blue Mountain Sect, was hesitant, and he thought that since the town below the mountain received the protection of the sect, he should help them out.


    ¡°My house has two rooms with some space. It¡¯s just my wife and servants there. If you three are willing, you can stay in my home. Just pay a little rent, how about it? Haha.¡±


    Finally having a place to sit down and rest their feet, the trio relaxed and followed the server to the innkeeper¡¯s home.


    The house was not far, about two streets away. The courtyard was not large, but it was neatly arranged with flowers and finely pruned trees in the center. In the corner, there was a small vegetable and fruit garden. The lady of the house most likely had a zest for life.


    The innkeeper¡¯s wife was a delicate, pretty woman. She wore a simple yet elegant ruqun4, and one could see that in her youth, she had been a beauty. Seeing that the innkeeper had brought guests, she received them enthusiastically and had the servants make arrangements for them.


    The trio settled in, and as they ate dinner with the innkeeper¡¯s wife, she mentioned that there was a lantern festival that night that was sure to be lively.


    Yun He preferred calm, quiet areas, so she planned to stay in and meditate to circulate her qi. She told Gu Yun and Jiang Ling to return before it got too late, and as soon as they agreed, the duo left, melding into the night market¡¯s bustle.


    With the lantern festival and the upcoming Blue Mountain Sword Competition, the already active Jiangdu Town was even more busy. Jiang Ling even felt as she had in Luoyang. Shoulder-to-shoulder, people packed the streets of Jiangdu. Just as they bought two festive lanterns, the stream of people separated Gu Yun and Jiang Ling when they were unattentive.


    ¡°Shixiong, I¡¯ll return by myself in a bit!¡± Jiang Ling shouted in the direction of Gu Yun and vaguely heard Gu Yun¡¯s acknowledgement in the distance.


    Jiang Ling lightly lept out of the crowd, landing on the crest of a nearby roof. She exhaled, ¡°There¡¯s too many people here.¡± She held those two festive lanterns in her hands, then sat down on the roof to gaze at the throgs of people, utterly bored. For a moment, a trace of loneliness rose up within her, and she thought of He Xi and Chu Yue.


    Jiang Ling suddenly stood up and carefully inspected the crowd below her. She had definitely seen people in the dress of the western regions walking past just now, but they had vanished in the blink of an eye. Could she have just imagined it because she really wanted to see He Xi again?


    1 ʱ³½, about two hours


    2 Left these untranslated. Gu Yun¡¯s sword¡¯s name translates to ¡°Heavenly Waters¡± (unsure about this, tbh, please correct me if I¡¯m wrong), and Yun He¡¯s sword¡¯s name translates to ¡°Emerging Clouds¡±.


    3 Á½, a currency measurement, equivalent to about 38 grams (1.33 ounces) each.


    4 A type of Han dress for men and women, but usually women, during historical times that consist of an upper jacket portion and a lower skirt portion.

 CH 5.1

    Jiang Ling¡¯s line of sight combed through the river of people, but she did not see the westerners again. Sure that it had only been her imagination, she felt unavoidably down, and she did not know what she had been expecting.


    She made her way slowly down from the ridge of the roof.


    ¡°Ding, ding, ding¡­¡± The sounds of bells drifted over from somewhere close by. Jiang Ling perked her ears up, sure that she had not heard wrong. Following the sound, she discovered a small group of camels grazing in the back courtyard of an inn. The saddles and unpacked baggage laid off to the side, and the bells on the camels¡¯ neck rang as they ate.


    Jiang Ling landed in the middle of the courtyard, her heart pounding. She drew close to the camels out of curiosity. This was the second time she had seen the camels and her first time observing them up close. The camels¡¯ hair was short, so short that one could not see it at a distance. Their black, bright eyes were both round and large.


    ¡°Your eyelashes are so long, very pretty.¡± Jiang Ling found that the camels¡¯ eyelashes were long and black, like a little fan. She could not help but sigh with feeling.


    ¡°With you complimenting its beauty like that, it won¡¯t be able to sleep tonight from the excitement.¡±


    Jiang Ling turned around and saw He Xi, who was leaning against the courtyard¡¯s door with her arms crossed as she regarded her. Under the lantern light, He Xi looked like she was hidden behind a layer of fine gauze, hazy and dreamy, ¡°He Xi! You¡¯re here, after all.¡±


    ¡°I told you, we would meet again soon.¡± He Xi walked up to Jiang Ling¡¯s side, stroking the camel¡¯s hair. Jiang Ling watched He Xi¡¯s hand as she caressed the camel once and again out of the corner of her eye.


    Suddenly, He Xi tilted her head close to Jiang Ling¡¯s, her amber irises looking at Jiang Ling steadily. Jiang Ling felt drawn into her gaze, forgetting to breathe. He Xi was already quite tall, a little taller than Jiang Ling, so she stooped slightly to look directly at Jiang Ling, the gem at the center of her forehead swaying softly with her movement as she leisurely touched Jiang Ling¡¯s forehead, her hand icy cold.


    ¡°Your eyelashes are pretty, too.¡±


    Once she finished admiring Jiang Ling¡¯s eyelashes, He Xi straightened her posture and put some distance between them. She turned about and fiddled lightly with the bells, the clear, melodious rings stirring her heart.


    Jiang Ling¡¯s heart beat like a drum. After a moment in which she caught her breath, she asked: ¡°Why are you here?¡±


    ¡°Replenishing stock.¡±


    Jiangdu¡¯s green-glazed porcelain ware was first-class among the multitudes of different ceramic crafts. The western regions lack this kind of product, and because these kinds of porcelain, as well as silks, are popular trade commodities between the western regions and the central plains, it was natural to replenish stock here.


    ¡°I heard that the green ware here was very famous. Right, today¡¯s the lantern festival. Why didn¡¯t you go out?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m like you.¡±


    Jiang Ling readily acknowledged that there were too many people out on the street, and joyful interest was defeated once she saw how many people there were.


    ¡°He Xi, let¡¯s go find a place that¡¯s less crowded and light the lanterns.¡± Jiang Ling thought of the recently purchased lanterns, which had not yet been lit. She lifted up the two lanterns in her hands and asked He Xi, revealing a faint expression of expectation.


    ¡°Then, what about your shixiong?¡± He Xi had seen Jiang Ling out together with her shixiong earlier.


    ¡°Him? He can go back on his own, no need to concern yourself with him.¡± Jiang Ling had evidently not heard the implication in He Xi¡¯s words. He Xi¡¯s lips arched into a pretty crescent, her brow curved and her eyes like the stars in a constellation. Jiang Ling looked at her foolishly for a bit before returning to her senses.


    ¡°You love to gawk.¡± He Xi teased. The first time she had seen Jiang Ling, she had been sitting in at the tea stall staring in a daze. She had not even spoken a few sentences and she had looked at her dumbfoundedly again, quite adorable.


    Jiang Ling¡¯s face flushed red from He Xi¡¯s words.


    Her flushed face was adorable, too. He Xi felt that the journey this time was all the more fruitful. Aside from experiencing the rich and diverse customs and livelihoods of the central plains, she could also make friends with an interesting person from the central plains.


    The two of them walked side by side along the street, evading the swarms of people. Along the river floated many lanterns in embellishment.


    Jiang Ling spoke a little about what happened after they separated in Yuzhou, about the flourishing imperial city of Luoyang, as well as the incident with Chu Yue. When the heartbreaking events were brought up, He Xi listened quietly.


    Jiang Ling sought out the nearby river wharf, took out a flame tube1 to light the lanterns, squatted down on the steps, and gently placed the lanterns in the water.


    ¡°I hope Chu Yue and A Xin are happy on the other side and don¡¯t encounter any more miscreants.¡± Jiang Ling clasped her hands together, her words and actions sincere.


    Although they had only been apart for a short two months, He Xi felt that Jiang Ling seemed to have shed a layer of childishness. That girl who had stared blankly and dazedly that day was, at this moment, immersed in a dense fog of sorrow.


    ¡°I hope you will be happy.¡± He Xi knelt down and placed her lantern on the water and pushed off lightly with her fingers. The lantern floated far away, chasing after Jiang Ling¡¯s lantern.


    Jiang Ling opened her eyes and gazed at He Xi, who was kneeling beside her, and her eyes glistened.


    He Xi stroked her head and said: ¡°It looks like Miss Chu Yue¡¯s affairs have made you sad, so I hope you will feel better.¡±


    Jiang Ling smoothed a hand over the hair that was stroked by He Xi.


    ¡°Thank you. Then, we¡¯re friends now?¡±


    ¡°Do friends need to thank each other?¡±


    ¡°Even still, thank you.¡±

 CH 5.2

    On the way back.


    ¡°He Xi, your last name is He? Are the people of the western regions and the central plains similarly named?¡± Jiang Ling skipped ahead two steps, then turned to face He Xi. She walked backwards, her gait light.


    He Xi shook her head, then she explained that in the language of the central pains, her name sounds somewhat like He Xi, so she had this kind of Han name.


    ¡°And you?¡± He Xi tilted her head, her amber gaze focusing on Jiang Ling. Jiang Ling was a little embarrassed by her stare, and she discovered that whenever He Xi would speak to her, she liked to tilt her head.


    She immediately turned back around to walk side by side with He Xi, then replied: ¡°Shifu told me that he picked me up by the side of a river, so I was surnamed Jiang. He wanted me to be like a bird, free and unrestrained, so he gave me the name Ling.¡±


    ¡°Then why are you not surnamed He?¡±1


    Jiang Ling snorted a laugh when she heard this and said that Jiang was comparatively nicer, and that Jiang and He had about the same meaning.


    Jiang Ling learned from He Xi that in half a month, their caravan would return after they completed their business talks in Jiangdu town. Jiang Ling told her that once the Blue Mountain Sect¡¯s Sword Competition concluded, she would descend the mountain to bid He Xi farewell.


    ¡°If I go to the western regions one day, can I come find you?¡±


    ¡°You can.¡±


    ¡°Then how will I find you? I heard that the western regions are huge.¡±


    He Xi removed a length of silver chain, very fine and entirely exquisite, from her hand, an elliptical, red cornelian gem dangling from the clasp. A pretty seal was inscribed on the gem, as if it was burnished in fire. She secured the chain onto Jiang Ling¡¯s wrist, the length of the chain fitting quite well.


    ¡°A special craft of the western regions. Aside from me, no one can take it off. Like this, you won¡¯t lose it. Over there, if you have anyone take a look at the chain on your wrist, they will know that you are my friend. Many people in the west know our caravan.¡±


    She inspected it carefully once and was satisfied. Jiang Ling took her hand back and covered her wrist with her sleeve; her other hand caressed the chain lightly.


    ¡°You said that, once the Sword Competition finishes, there will be a celebratory banquet?¡± He Xi asked.


    ¡°Mhm, the letter that shijie received today said as much. At that time, the sect leaders and disciples from other sects will be there, too.¡±


    ¡°Mm. It¡¯s late now, your shijie and shixiong will be worried about you.¡± He Xi lifted her head to look at the sky. The darkness of night had already fallen, and the streets had become very quiet, as if the lively scene from before had simply been an illusion.


    ¡°See you, then.¡± Jiang Ling, fully aware that she had been out too late, went to hurry back. She waved a hand at He Xi in farewell, then disappeared without a trace.


    He Xi lingered for a moment, then walked back to the inn.


    ¡°So you still know to come back.¡± As soon as she returned, she heard Gu Yun¡¯s grumbling from the entrance, ¡°I was almost scolded to death by shijie.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡± Jiang Ling detoured around Gu Yun to enter the room. She was happy today and was not inclined to squabble with Gu Yun.


    ¡°Shijie, look at her.¡± Gu Yun followed, complaining to Yun He.


    In response, Jiang Ling pushed Gu Yun out the door, then closed it, ¡°Us shijie and shimei are going to rest now. Shixiong, please go away.¡±


    Gu Yun, who had just had the door slammed in his face, threw out some more complaints with increasing irreverence, then returned to his own room.


    ¡°You¡¯re happy today.¡± Jiang Ling¡¯s ecstatic appearance affected Yun He too.


    ¡°I made a new friend.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good.¡±


    ¡­¡­


    That night, Jiang Ling laid on her bed with her arm raised, the chain softly swaying. The cornelian gem emitted a soft red glow in the nighttime. Jiang Ling held the chain lightly in her right hand and rested it on her chest. ¡°Dong dong dong,¡± her heart was pounding, like it would burst from her chest. This was the first time she had made a friend since descending the mountain, as well as the first time receiving a gift from someone besides her shifu, shijie, and shixiong. Her heart swelled.


    Early the second day, the trio parted ways with the innkeeper and his wife to ascend the mountain. When they passed that particular inn, Jiang Ling took a look around the courtyard and saw the group of camels taking a rest. The inn opened its doors, the server sat at the entrance and yawned, and the lobby was empty, as the customers were still sleeping. Jiang Ling did not want to disturb He Xi, either, so she could only leave Jiangdu town with her shijie and shixiong.


    Jiangdu town was along the edge of the Fu River. In its early years, it had a well-known ferry crossing due to the traveling merchants moving from south to north using shipping vessels. Thus named ¡°Jiangdu,¡±2 the ships traveling to the Blue Mountain were an integral part of the town.


    Arriving at the wharf, they soon saw that the boat was just about to cast off from the dock.


    Gu Yun hurriedly ran forward, yelling, ¡°Boatman, there¡¯s three more people here.¡±


    The boatman waved him off and said: ¡°Sorry, little brother, this boat is full. You should wait for the next one.¡±


    Jiang Ling glanced around but did not find any other ships. By the time the boat returned, there would be many more waiting, ¡°Boatman, please make an exception.¡±


    The boatman said that he would need to ask the passengers inside, but before he entered the cabin, they saw a beautiful woman of about seventeen or eighteen years of age emerge. While not fair, her skin was smooth and delicate. She wore a dark purple robe embroidered with curling lines, and her hair was combed carefully and held up with a hairpin of the same color. She was from the Longxi Yueluo Sect.


    Shangguan Qing had heard the boatman speaking to people on the dock for a while without setting off, so she came out to see what was happening. She saw the three disciples in their bamboo-patterned belts begging the boatman to make an exception. While they did not appear to be from the Blue Mountain Sect, as evident from their clothing, which made them look like wanderers from Jianghu, the embroidery pattern on their belts indicated that there was a connection between them and the Blue Mountain Sect.


    ¡°These three friends are also going to the Blue Mountain Sect?¡± Shangguan Qing asked first.


    ¡°Exactly.¡± Yun He saluted as she answered.


    ¡°If it is convenient, you may board.¡±


    The trio thanked her then got on the boat.


    They learned that she was a disciple of the Yueluo Sect who was here for the Blue Mountain Sect¡¯s Sword Competition. Shangguan Qing and her eldest shixiong, Shen Xiuqi, brought some younger disciples along for tempering. Gu Yun explained their reasons for coming, and Shangguan Qing suddenly understood. No wonder the three of them seem to be both from and not from the Blue Mountain Sect; they were the disciples of Yun Yangzi, who had left the Blue Mountain Sect back then. This time, they were returning to their originating sect.


    ¡°It is said that Yun Yangzi is on bad terms with the Blue Mountain Sect Leader?¡± Shangguan Qing had heard some rumors and could not help being curious. She pressed closer to Jiang Ling and asked. Shangguan Qing was completely different from her meticulous appearance, and she was unexpectedly talkative.


    ¡°Somewhat.¡± Jiang Ling did not refute.


    ¡°The rumors are true, then. Back then, Yun Yangzi adored his shijie, but his shijie and Sect Leader Liu were in love with each other, so Yun Yangzi had no choice but to leave.¡±


    ¡°Oh? Shifu has a past like this?¡± Once she heard the story about shifu, Jiang Ling¡¯s ears suddenly perked up.


    As she had never heard about the Sect Leader having a wife, Jiang Ling¡¯s belly was full of uncertainty with nowhere to resolve it, so she went to ask Shangguan Qing about the story of that shijie, but Yun He coughed lightly, and Jiang Ling had no choice but to give up.

 CH 6

    The travelers chatted together, and they arrived at the foot of the mountain before half a day had passed.


    Qingshan was surrounded by immensely tall mountains that pierced the clouds. The mountain gate and its accompanying steps of the mountain path were hidden by the cloudy mist, its end out of sight. At the foot of the mountain was an enormous boulder engraved with ¡®Qingshan¡¯. The writing style was bold and forceful; the engraver was surely one of profound skill. Beside the boulder was a boy servant, who had been waiting for some time to lead the way. The boy servant¡¯s hair was bound into a bun on the top of his head, and he wore moon-white robes embroidered with silver bamboo patterns. Seeing that people had arrived, he came forward in welcome.


    ¡°These shijie and shixiong have come to attend the Sword Conference, then.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Shen Xiuqi answered, his voice clear, resonant, and articulate. Because of his tall stature, reaching almost to the heavens, as well as him often being in Xibei¡ªunlike a woman of a respectable family, he did not attach much importance to his skin, so his skin was burnished by the sun and quite tanned¡ªhe bore a remarkable resemblance to the men of Xibei. Although he wore refined clothing, he was unavoidably fierce-looking. When he stepped forward to hand over his name card, the boy servant could not help himself from taking a few steps back when he saw his appearance.


    ¡°Shixiong, you¡¯re scaring everyone.¡± Shangguan Qing smiled, stepping forward gracefully. She took the name card from Shen Xiuqi¡¯s hand and passed it to the boy servant. The boy servant looked over the name card and said: ¡°So you are shijie and shixiong from the Yueluo Sect. You must be weary from the long journey. The Sect Leader has already arranged for your residences.¡± As he spoke, he pulled a jade token from his pocket. The jade token was marked with crimson channels and emerald bamboo, with the characters for ¡®Yueluo¡¯ inscribed in the center, exquisite and beautiful.


    With this level of meticulousness and consideration, Qingshan was indeed worthy of being a major sect.


    ¡°When you ascend the mountain, show this token to the gatekeepers and they will show you to your residence.¡± The boy servant¡¯s speech was extremely reverential, with a thorough presentation of etiquette.


    Shangguan Qing received the token and placed it in her sleeve, smiling sweetly at the boy servant as she said: ¡°Thank you, shidi.¡±


    The boy servant slanted his body to peer around these two and discovered that the trio behind them were not wearing the same clothing of the Yueluo sect members. He asked: ¡°Excuse me, which sect are these shijie and shixiong from?¡±


    Yun He saw that the two from the Yueluo Sect had brought a name card, but all she remembered from her previous time coming with shifu was entering directly through the mountain gate; there had not been nearly as many convoluted formalities. Thinking about it, this year¡¯s Sword Conference also included disciples from other sects, so it must be a little different from previous year¡¯s. Yun Yangzi had not left them any kind of name card either, so the trio felt a bit discomfited.


    Yun He remembered the letter she had received from Yun Yangzi. Contained in the letter were a few trifles that occurred in Minghe since they left, details of the banquet after the Sword Conference concludes, as well as the instruction that after the banquet, the trio need not hurry back to Minghe, lest there be a breach of etiquette.


    Yun He pulled out the letter and gave it to the boy servant. When he saw the sender¡¯s name of ¡®Yun Yangzi¡¯, his eyes lit up: ¡°So you are the disciples of Yun Yangzi shibo, the one shizun always talks about. Shizun has been waiting for you for a while.¡±


    As he spoke, he pulled out another three tokens, which were styled similarly to Shangguan Qing¡¯s, with bamboo patterns on the surface. However, the front of the tokens were inscribed with the names ¡®Yun He,¡¯ ¡®Gu Yun,¡¯ and ¡®Jiang Ling,¡¯ and the backs were inscribed with the words, ¡®Qingshan Sect,¡¯ surrounded by carved patterns of auspicious clouds.


    ¡°Thank you, little shidi.¡± Yun He took the tokens and divided them up to Jiang Ling and Gu Yun.


    The three of them each inspected their own token; the scene was like a wander returning to their hometown.


    The little boy servant said: ¡°At the mountain¡¯s entrance, there are some shixiong that will meet you and make arrangements. Shixiong and shijie, please continue on your way.¡±


    The trio nodded, bid farewell to the boy servant, then followed after Shen Xiuqi and Shangguan Qing.


    Shangguan Qing teased them that they were receiving the home-coming treatment. Each of them held a jade token, so she was a little envious.


    Jiangdu town.


    ¡°Dong, dong, dong¡±


    He Xi sat cross-legged on the divan in her room, circulating her breath as the sunlight filtered gently through the window, but the dissonant knock broke up the peacefulness of the scene. Hearing the knock, He Xi opened her amber-colored eyes and moved from the divan to sit beside the table. She picked up the teapot on the table and poured tea into a cup.


    ¡°Enter.¡±


    Then two men came into the room. The first, named Ye Qi, was in his twenties with the appearance of a westerner: stalwart frame, prominent brows, and the lingering stubble of a beard, despite having shaved. The other, named A Na, was also in his twenties and, even though he wore clothes of the west, had the appearance of one from the central plains: likewise tall, a slender eye shape, a lean facial structure, and a wispy beard on his chin.


    Upon entering, the first thing both of them did was salute He Xi with a single arm slanted across their chests. A Na said: ¡°My lady, all of the goods have been cataloged.¡±


    ¡°Mm.¡± He Xi nodded, ¡°Ye Qi, Jiangdu¡¯s silk is fairly good. Take a turn about town and purchase some.¡±


    ¡°Understood, my lady.¡±


    Once the two finished reporting on their tasks, they left the room, lightly closing the door behind them.


    He Xi sat beside the table, one hand supporting her head and the other twisting the cup in her fingers, lost in thought. As her hand gently spun the cup, the tea leaves within followed the flow of the water as it circled inside the cup.


    As for the group on Qingshan, they all practiced martial arts, so they effortlessly ascended the mountain that seemed to reach the clouds. Along the way, they chatted freely and admired the scenery, and with their skills and light steps, they reached the mountain gate within an incense stick¡¯s worth of time.1


    An archway, large enough for three people to walk through at once, stood before the mountain gate, the words ¡°Qingshan Sect¡± engraved on the front. Supplemented by the clear blue skies above, its dignified appearance was extraordinarily striking.


    ¡°Ho ho, as expected of Qingshan Sect, with great panache!¡± Shangguan Qing was stunned, ¡°We in Longxi are truly remote. We could never construct something so beautiful.¡±


    Although Shen Xiuqi did not say anything, one could see from his expression that he agreed with Shangguan Qing¡¯s words.


    Past the mountain gate was a large square, which was paved with evenly cut, perfectly fitted stones. Wherever one looked, white palaces with turquoise-tiled roofs and upturned eaves unfolded across the space one after another, scattered on different mountain peaks and linked together by bridges. The square itself was lively, with some disciples dressed in the style of the Qingshan Sect practicing meditation, others wearing their own clothing style and conversing with old acquaintances, and a few outer disciples arriving to admire the scenery.


    The disciples below the mountain arch had already waited for a while. Shangguan Qing produced their jade token, and the little disciples led the way to their residences.


    Shen Xiuqi cupped his hands, saluting Yun He: ¡°Yun shimei, may the Sword Conference determine the victor.¡± The corners of Yun He¡¯s lips raised slightly and she bowed in farewell.


    ¡°Jiang Ling¡¯er2, let¡¯s talk again when you¡¯re free.¡± Shangguan Qing winked at Jiang Ling, then waved at her as they parted.


    Jiang Ling waved back at Shangguan Qing. Gu Yun stood to the side, then said to Jiang Ling sourly: ¡±Even that eldest shijie is like this. She¡¯s like a heavenly goddess descended to the mortal realms, and I am also dignified in appearance. Then, why didn¡¯t Lady Shangguan give me a second glance, while in the span of half a day, you both have become dear sisters?¡±


    ¡°You want to be our sister, too?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not it, either.¡± Gu Yun huffed a dry laugh.


    In the midst of their quarrel, Yun He had already pulled out her token. When the little disciple, who was about thirteen or fourteen years of age, saw that the trio was Yun Yangzi¡¯s three disciples, he led them to the disciples¡¯ quarters. The disciples at the gate were outer disciples who strengthened their bodies¡¯ through martial arts, but were not instructed directly.


    ¡°Shixiong and shijie may call me A Du.¡± A Du introduced himself first, ¡°Shixiong and shijie are the disciples of shibo, Yun Yangzi, and therefore disciples of Qingshan Sect, as shizun always tells us. Since Yun Yangzi was his own disciple, you are also inner disciples, and should naturally live in an inner disciples¡¯ courtyard.¡± Said courtyards, while located on a sizable mountain top, were also scattered in a pleasantly chaotic manner, unlike the regimented, square layout of the walled town at the foot of the mountain.


    A Du walked and presented simultaneously, ¡°This is the courtyard where the Sect Leader¡¯s disciples lived in the past.¡±


    Gu Yun looked around, asking: ¡°Then eldest shixiong also lives here.¡±


    A Du nodded, then replied: ¡°Eldest shixiong descended the mountain a few days ago with third shixiong. They should be back in a couple of days.¡± He led the trio and introduced some of the elder¡¯s residences, then at last showed them to where they would be staying.


    ¡°This is where Yun Yangzi shibo lived with his fellow shixiong and shijie back when he was a disciple, ¡®Condensing Heart Courtyard¡¯. Shizun made sure to have us prepare it for your arrival. Once shijie and shixiong have settled in, please have a rest. The Sword Conference will begin in five days, and if you need anything, just call for me.¡±


    The Qingshan Sect disciples had prepared two residences for them, which were speckled across a small mountain top and encircled by green bamboo. Within each residence was a courtyard fenced in by bamboo, and within each courtyard were a few old trees with expansive foliage. A stone table rested beneath a tree, a chessboard set in it. While the residence lacked the dignified construction of the other palaces, it was much better than their living quarters on Minghe Mountain.


    The trio entered the two-room residence, and Gu Yun entered his single room.


    Jiang Ling walked into the room; it was quite clean and tidy, with all living necessities. On the bed were two sets of clothing, beside the bed was a washstand, and below the decoratively carved window was a writing desk with a few brushes and inkstones¡ªentirely appropriate arrangements. After running about all day, Jiang Ling felt exhaustion pull at her, and she fell asleep almost as soon as she laid down.


    ¡°A Ling, come eat.¡± Gu Yun knocked on Jiang Ling¡¯s door.


    ¡°Coming.¡± Jiang Ling had unexpectedly slept until dinnertime. She tidied up a little, then walked over to Gu Yun¡¯s area. Yun He had already sat down, and they had just been waiting for Jiang Ling.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect that the Qingshan Sect would be so considerate. Next to my room, there¡¯s even a small kitchen, with cooking supplies already prepared.¡± Gu Yun had always been responsible for the food in the Minghe Sect, so it suited his purposes.


    After the meal, Gu Yun pulled out a bronze mirror from his lapel and passed it to Jiang Ling. Jiang Ling lifted her head to look at Gu Yun, her gaze revealing her confusion.


    ¡°Don¡¯t misunderstand, I found this mirror in a drawer when I was tidying up the room. A big man like me doesn¡¯t need something like this, so I¡¯m giving it to you.¡± Gu Yun rushed to explain, and by trying to avoid a misunderstanding, he made the situation awkward.


    Having heard this statement, Jiang Ling picked up the bronze mirror and inspected it. Gu Yun had definitely not bought it, as it was unconventional and exquisite, and one could see that it was aged; a few scratches marred the surface, but it was still usable.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you give it to shijie?¡±


    ¡°How is shijie like you, who¡¯s unlike a girl at all.¡±


    ¡°Gu Yun, You¡ª¡± Jiang Ling smacked the table, looking ready to hit Gu Yun.


    Yun He, in response, hurried to hold them both back, then sent Gu Yun off to wash the dishes.


    ¡°Shijie, look at him, he¡¯s been misguided by shifu!¡± Jiang Ling still had not forgotten about her earlier complaints. She could not say three sentences to Gu Yun without quarreling.


    ¡°A Yun spoke poorly.¡± As Yun He laughed softly, she looked at Gu Yun and Jiang Ling, who were like her own brother and sister. She loved these little squabbles, as they were the actions of genuine siblings.


    That night, Jiang Ling looked into the bronze mirror by the candle light. The self in the mirror was no stranger; she had seen herself many times before. This time, however, she brought the mirror close and carefully looked at her eyelashes. Were they pretty? She did not know. Gu Yun said that she was not like a girl, but He Xi had said her eyelashes were beautiful. That was the first time she had heard someone compliment her appearance. Jiang Ling went through her memories of He Xi¡¯s looks; her eyelashes were really pretty, too.


    The He Xi that stood beneath the lantern light, the He Xi that wished her happiness. Jiang Ling¡¯s heart heated up. She picked up the pot of cold tea and drank two mouthfuls, but it could not extinguish the fire in her heart. She did not know what was wrong with her, but it was like she wanted to immediately descend the mountain¡­


    1 A short time frame. Not super specific, but anywhere between 5 and 30 minutes.


    2 Adding an er ¶ù indicates affection

 CH 7.1

    MARCH 20, 2022 GENZANYBAIHETO TRAVEL BY THE EDGE OF A CREEK


    Chapter 7, pt. 1


    Before it was even five in the morning, A Du arrived at the door.


    ¡°Jiang-shijie, come to morning class!¡± When Jiang Ling heard the knock on her door, she had the sudden impulse to grab A Du and beat him. On normal days, she was always diligent, practicing her martial arts with her shixiong and shijie in the morning without fail; she had no difficulties waking up early. It was just that, last night, she had not slept at all. She had leapt onto the roof to breathe in the cold night air and she had just laid back down for a little bit when this A Du, who deserved a death of one thousand cuts, called her. Why did she have to go to morning classes here ah¡­


    Yun He and Gu Yun were already awake by the time A Du arrived and were preparing for meditation.


    ¡°A Du, you didn¡¯t mention anything about morning classes yesterday.¡± Jiang Ling¡¯s eyes were just about spitting flames.


    ¡°Yun Yangzi-shibo did not have morning classes at this time?¡±


    ¡°Errr¡­¡±


    A Du¡¯s question left Jiang Ling with nothing to say.


    ¡°What about Shangguan-shijie and the others from Yueluo. Are they coming, too?¡± Jiang Ling also wanted to ask about their affairs.


    ¡°No. Disciples from other sects are guests, different from our sect¡¯s disciples. For the next few days, they are free to do as they please, while disciples of our sect must attend classes on time. Since shixiong and shijie are from our sect, naturally, you will need to go, too.¡± A Du explained.


    ¡°Sounds reasonable.¡± Gu Yun nodded, ¡°A Du, your Jiang-shijie just wants to be lazy.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re the lazy one!¡±


    ¡­


    The new disciples all had morning class on the platform on the east side of the square. The majority of them were in meditation and listening to some elders delivering general lectures. On the platform were many rush mats, and there were already many disciples there meditating.


    ¡°The elders from the Hall of Regulations, the instructors for disciple conduct and discipline, are lecturing today. They are also the ones who punish errant disciples.¡± A Du suddenly slowed his pace and lowered his voice. He turned his body and concealed half his face behind his hand, saying to the trio, ¡°Elder Yi of the Hall of Regulations is very strict and as taciturn as the Sect Leader. You should try to behave yourselves a little. You must not do anything out of line.¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡± Jiang Ling also restrained her voice.


    Arriving at the platform, A Du and the trio found themselves their own rush mats and began meditation.


    Not long after, Elder Yi of the Hall of Regulations arrived, and, as expected, he looked to be an old man of about sixty years of age, with a grizzled beard and unapproachable countenance.


    Elder Yi¡¯s morning class was nothing more than some disciples studying texts and practicing martial arts to be upright, of calm temper, and on guard against arrogance and impetuousness. Traveling the outside world was for upholding justice and acting chivalrously, conducting oneself in accordance with one¡¯s conscience and the external guidance of morality and righteousness, and so on.


    Yun Yangzi was casual and undisciplined; one follows their own character. He never compelled his three disciples to recite texts each morning or practice particular moves, and after the disciplines were instructed on the dharma, they were free to cultivate their own path. He carried out a teaching style of ¡°shifu leads one to the door, but the way of cultivation depends on the individual.¡± However, as Jiang Ling listened to these ¡®ways of life¡¯, which seemed to run on forever, she felt that her ears were starting to grow calluses. She sat on the rush mat and could not help but yawn; she really was too tired.


    Jiang Ling was awoken by the elder¡¯s ruler[1], ¡°Slack and undisciplined. Go receive punishment from the Hall of Discipline and reflect for four shichen[2].¡± Elder Yi was so angry that his beard was about to fly off his face. There was someone brazen enough to doze off during his morning class, but with one question, that person turned out to be the disciple of the wayward Yun Yangzi; her relaxed and oftimes remiss countenance was exactly like his. Jiang Ling resigned herself and recognized that she was in the wrong, acknowledging her mistake and accepting her punishment.


    When the morning classes concluded, Gu Yun patted Jiang Ling on the shoulder, his face expressing his delight over her misfortunes, and said that dinner would be waiting for her, so she could receive her punishment in peace. Jiang Ling was filled with even more anger. Her first day here, and she got a day¡¯s worth of kneeling; the next four days could brew even more trouble.


    Just as she was going to leave, she heard a little shidi cry out, ¡°Eldest shixiong has returned!¡±


    Once they heard the call, the crowd of disciples surged over to the mountain gate¡¯s archway one after the other, swiftly surrounding the area so tightly that even water could not pass through between them.


    Jiang Ling stood on her tiptoes, but she could not see anything, and her interest dried up. She prepared to go to the Hall of Discipline to receive her punishment.


    At that moment, that shixiong said something¡ªJiang Ling did not know what¡ªand the little disciples dispersed and went to practice their martial arts, and that person walked directly toward Jiang Ling. Jiang Ling was internally surprised; she herself had never crossed paths with this shixiong before. Perhaps that eldest shixiong¡¯s defeat by shijie four years prior gave birth to a hidden sentiment? She looked at Yun He, but Yun He¡¯s indifferent countenance had not changed. Just as she was going to ask Gu Yun if that eldest shixiong liked Yun He, she saw that Gu Yun had already greeted that eldest shixiong and hugged him.


    Their addresses of ¡°Da-ge¡± and ¡°Second brother¡± were filled with familial warmth.


    Unexpectedly, they were brothers. Jiang Ling stared blankly, at this moment thinking that she should reevaluate this shixiong of hers, as she had never expected that his family¡¯s business would be such a large enterprise. The eldest disciple of Qingshan Sect¡¯s Sect Leader was actually his brother. Jiang Ling thought a little about Shangguan Qing. Having the gift of the gab had its benefits; one would not often come across a situation one did not understand, but it was a little dull.


    ¡°Da-ge, this is my shijie, Yun He. You two already met four years ago. This is my shimei, Jiang Ling.¡± Gu Yun faced his da-ge and introduced his sect mates.


    ¡°Gu Shi, A Yun¡¯s da-ge.¡± Gu Shi cupped his fist and gave courtesy to Yun He and Jiang Ling, ¡°Our family¡¯s second son has received you two¡¯s care for many years. I am deeply grateful for the favor.¡± Gu Shi and Gu Yun shared some similarities in their sword-like brows, bright eyes, and impressive bearing. Owing to the age difference of seven years, Gu Shi was substantially taller and seemed more dependable than the seventeen-year-old Gu Yun, who was a little more delicate-looking standing next to him.


    Yun He said that it was Gu Yun who took care of his two shijie and shimei.


    ¡°Eldest shixiong, the Sect Leader heard that you returned and was looking for you, hoping to discuss some things related to the Sword Conference.¡± Just as they were going to exchange more courtesies, they saw a disciple exit the hall. It was the Sect Leader¡¯s third disciple, Jin


    Jue, who had also returned alongside Gu Shi. A Du had mentioned this person before during their chats; they were extremely high in natural talents, yet they conducted themselves with arrogance and treated others rudely, only listening to their eldest shixiong¡¯s words. They were a frequent guest of the Hall of Discipline. A Du said that the younger disciplines always avoided them.


    Gu Shi bid them farewell, saying that when he had time, he would come visit them, then went directly to the hall.


    ¡°Shixiong, you really keep your deepest secrets close, ah?¡± Jiang Ling ridiculed.


    ¡°You never asked.¡± Gu Yun refuted.


    ¡°Are you the shimei who slept during Elder Yi¡¯s morning lecture today?¡± Jin Jue narrowed his eyes and scrutinized Jiang Ling.


    ¡°What about it?¡± Jiang Ling raised her guard.


    ¡°Tch tch, even if you wear the clothing of our Qingshan Sect, it can¡¯t put a lid on your feral reek.¡± Jin Jue proved each of A Du¡¯s words true.


    ¡°From what I can see of the Great Qingshan Sect, their teachings of courtesy can¡¯t match our ¡®feral¡¯ ones.¡± Gu Yun responded caustically.


    ¡°Shixiong, ever since he came back, I can¡¯t seem to recognize the words ¡®courtesy and etiquette¡¯ anywhere.¡± Jiang Ling added a retort.


    ¡°As expected, a lack of management. I¡¯ll teach you all a lesson today on behalf of Yun Yangzi-shishu.¡±


    ¡°Shixiong, the elders of the Hall of Regulations have already reprimanded shimei.¡± Yun He did not want to create animosity with someone just after arriving, but she could not stand her shimei being scorned, ¡°Don¡¯t trouble shixiong, Jiang Ling, go to the Hall of Discipline to receive your punishment as you will.¡±


    Jiang Ling listened and went to the Hall of Discipline without turning back.


    Yun He led Gu Yun back to their living quarters. Jin Jue spat as he watched them leave. Because of that shishu, who he had never even seen before, these three became dignified internal disciples that shizun would talk about from time to time. Internally, Jin Jue refused to accept it.


    Footnotes

 CH 7.2

    Jiang Ling received her punishment and knelt in the Hall of Discipline for four shichen. The little shimei watching over her said that she had knelt long enough, so Jiang Ling could leave.


    When Jiang Ling stood up, the strength fled from her legs, and she just about fell. She pouted, ¡°Shifu never made me kneel this long.¡±


    Jiang Ling rubbed her legs, and once they worked again, she left the Hall of Discipline and was just preparing to return.


    ¡°Jiang Ling-er, Jiang Ling-er.¡±


    Hearing someone call to her from behind, Jiang Ling looked around and saw Shangguan Qing standing below the stairs, waiting for her.


    ¡°I heard you got punished, so I came to see you.¡± Shangguan Qing said considerately.


    ¡°Did you wait long?¡± Jiang Ling was moved. This Shangguan Qing, who had waited for her for so long, was really a good sister.


    ¡°No, I just got here.¡± Shangguan reached out a hand and laid it on Jiang Ling¡¯s shoulder, ¡°I timed it quite accurately. As soon as I got here, you came out.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡± Jiang Ling¡¯s ¡®moved¡¯ feeling left as quickly as it came.


    ¡°You don¡¯t seem so happy that I came to see you.¡±


    ¡°No, no, I¡¯m happy, very happy.¡±


    ¡°Did you hear? It turns out, my shixiong is the Sect Leader¡¯s eldest disciple¡¯s little brother!¡± Since she had run into Shangguan Qing, they inevitably started discussing trivialities once again. ¡°I heard, I came here for this reason. Today, I heard some Qingshan disciples discussing it. I knew that Gu Shi-shixiong¡¯s family had a younger son, but there was no trace of him some years back. Now, the Gu Family can only look to him.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean by ¡®can only¡¯? The Gu Family knew my shixiong was at the Minghe Sect.¡± Jiang Ling could not figure it out, as the Gu Family knew of Gu Yun¡¯s matters. Outsiders may not be clear on it, but the Gu Family should be perfectly aware.


    ¡°I heard that he is the son of Master Gu¡¯s concubine. Lady Gu took pity on him and brought him into the Gu Family. At that time, Lady Gu only had a daughter, your shixiong¡¯s eldest sister, so the Gu Family would obviously treat him well. Afterward, Lady Gu had a son, and the Gu Family naturally looked to this one. Gu Shi, in a fortuitous coincidence, entered the Qingshan Sect, and Gu Shi receiving the personal instruction of the Sect Leader also gave the Gu Family face. Later, that son¡¯s whereabouts became unknown, and the Gu Family could then only return their sights to the grown son.¡± Shangguang Qing rubbed her chin, ¡°As for who knew that your shixiong would be that missing son, it seems like Gu Shi-shixiong knew. This hearsay from Jianghu turned out to be true.¡±


    Jiang Ling nodded, deep down thinking that this hearsay of Jianghu really was something that could be heard, but not spoken.


    ¡°What about the Sect Leader¡¯s wife? I¡¯ve been here for a while, but didn¡¯t hear the other disciplines mention anything about the Sect Leader¡¯s wife.¡± Jiang Ling thought again of the topic from the last conversation.


    ¡°I did.¡± Jiang Ling truly admired Shangguan Qing, who had heard even of this, ¡°I heard that, eighteen years ago, the Sect Leader got married, but the good times did not last long. Seventeen years ago, Manichaeism spread and its practitioners invaded, and her whereabouts became unclear. The rumor is that she is dead. The Qingshan Sect did not specify how she died, and I get the feeling that they would like to avoid the subject, so I¡¯m not clear on it, either.¡±


    ¡°Is your nickname ¡®Jianghu¡¯s Bai Xiaosheng¡¯[1]?¡± Jiang Ling looked at Shangguan Qing with new eyes.


    ¡°I¡¯m ashamed, I find studying martial arts too dull, and I can¡¯t help myself from listening to other people¡¯s stories. Can Jianghu still be called ¡®Jianghu¡¯ without stories?¡± Shangguan Qing was not at all miserly about receiving Jiang Ling¡¯s ¡®praise¡¯.


    The two chatted like they had never parted, but when Shangguan Qing heard Jiang Ling¡¯s stomach rumble, she remembered that she had not eaten for the entire day, so she quickly let her go home.


    Footnotes

 CH 8

    Waiting for Jiang Ling to return to the Condensing Heart Courtyard, Gu Yun had already finished preparing dinner. Unlike before, Gu Shi was also with Gu Yun and Yun He, and the three had already gathered together some time ago. They waited for Jiang Ling for a while, so she was a little embarrassed. She apologized and said that she had been delayed on her way back.


    Gu Shi did not treat them as outsiders and showed concern for his brother. He related how, when he visited his parents and sister last month, they missed him. They had heard that Gu Yun would also be visiting the Qingshan Sect, so they had Gu Shi bring some trifles for Gu Yun. Before, everything they sent had been kicked away by Yun Yangzi, so this time, they made sure to have Gu Shi deliver the items directly into Gu Yun¡¯s hands. Gu Yun said that, by coincidence, he happened to need some money, so he received the items, pleased with himself. Yun He gave him a look, but unexpectedly, she did not prevent his actions.


    Speaking of his parents and sister, Gu Yun felt a little regretful. Since he acknowledged Yun Yangzi as his teacher at seven years of age, it was not like he had never thought to return home to visit his parents once he had grown up a bit. Often, when he had the desire to return, he would look at his shijie and shimei, who had never had a mother or father, and as his shifu would frequently leave, he could not bring himself to speak of returning home. He thought to conduct himself as a real man, and while on Minghe Mountain, he was a pillar of the sect, but it seemed that down the mountain he was simply a tiger cub that would find his mom and dad to cry to at every turn; it was too disgraceful. He ended up procrastinating for ten years without going home, only receiving letters from his family.


    ¡°This time, when the Sword Conference concludes, you should return to Mingzhou. Bring your shijie and shimei along for fun. Mingzhou has transformed recently. The fact is, father, mother, and eldest sister have not seen you for ten years. You¡¯ve already grown into a good-looking young man, so they will definitely be happy to see you.¡± Gu Shi gave two laughs. He saw that the younger son of his family had become a youth as graceful and unrestrained as a Jade Tree, and he could naturally be at ease.


    After the meal, Gu Shi elaborated some more about the Sword Conference.


    The Sword Conference was originally for the young disciples of the sect to test their strength against each other. The rules were that disciples under twenty-two could participate, and now, both inner and outer disciples could join. When the time came, the sect leader and all of the elders would view the match, then choose the disciples with the most potential as those to whom they would impart their own knowledge. Winning or losing was not important; the teacher sought instead natural gifts and wits. After all, older disciples beating younger ones was a common occurrence, but the root of natural talent was inherent. Those who were ignorant could not see it, but those in the know would understand at a glance. Therefore, the young ones who lost could catch the eyes of a teacher. For this reason, during every Sword Conference, the young disciples of the sect were always wriggling with excitement. This year, a few other sects were joining, as well, so the Sword Conference transformed into an opportunity for different sects to have a peaceful measure of strength, and they all sent their proudest disciples to vie for glory.


    Gu Shi had recently turned twenty-four and was the chief of the last Conference. As the Sect Leader¡¯s disciple, he served as the person in charge of the Conference, as well as its judge.


    Gu Yun had long been itching to have a go, and he said that he wanted to contend for the position of chief.


    ¡°You, chief? Then what about shijie?¡± Jiang Ling, as was usual, threw cold water on Gu Yun¡¯s enthusiasm.


    ¡°In any case, it definitely can¡¯t be you.¡± When Gu Yun opened his mouth, he poked the thorn in Jiang Ling¡¯s heart. As soon as he spoke, he regretted his actions.


    Jiang Ling¡¯s face turned cold, and she turned to go back to her room.


    ¡°Shimei¡­¡± Gu Yun wanted nothing more than to immediately box his own ears and ran off to apologize.


    Gu Shi did not fully understand the situation. Yun He smiled obsequiously and said that this pair of shixiong and shimei always bickered. Jiang Ling was one that was eager to outdo others; she would be unhappy for a time, but she would soon be fine, no need to worry. Gu Shi said a few more words of courtesy then took his leave.


    ¡­


    After the second day¡¯s morning class had ended, A Du said that shizun wanted to see the trio and spurred them to go to Zhengqi Palace, where Luyi-shizun was located. The trio had just been thinking of calling on shizun, so A Du¡¯s prompting was quite coincidental.


    The trio entered Zhengqi Palace and saw Luyi-zhenren sitting in the middle seat, with a middle-aged man of slender build next to him ¡ª the Sect Leader, Liu Qi. The man had a curling mustache on either side of his face, of lofty mettle out of the common way. When he was young, he had definitely been a handsome man. Luyi-zhenren was different from one¡¯s imagining of a man old in body, but young in spirit. He was an ordinary old man of about seventy years of age, with a grizzled beard and hair and deep wrinkles etched on his face. Jiang Ling understood the reason why shifu told them to come join the Sword Conference.


    Liu Qi took one look at the trio and creased his brow.


    The trio knelt to Luyi-zhenren and saluted, ¡°Greetings, shizun.¡±


    Luyi rose and walked over to them, trembling slightly, then stroked their heads. He wore a smiling expression, ¡°Yun He has grown up. Yun Yangzi is a good boy ah, all of the disciples he has taken in have grown up elegant and charming. Haha, you all have come. That¡¯s great, wonderful. This old man can now die without regrets.¡±


    ¡°Shizun¡­¡±


    ¡°Shifu, you shouldn¡¯t talk like that. You¡¯ll live to see one hundred, of course.¡± The crease in Liu Qi¡¯s brow grew deeper as he assisted Luyi.


    Liyi shook off his hand, ¡°Shut up. This master doesn¡¯t want to listen to you.¡±


    Liu Qi was silenced.


    Luyi saw that the trio was still kneeling and said that his heart¡¯s wish had been fulfilled now that he had seen them, so there was no need to hold them up. He sent them away.


    The trio once again paid their respects with the utmost courtesy and respect, then bid him farewell.


    After Jiang Ling had walked some distance away, she heard Luyi-zhenren ask Liu Qi to withdraw as well, as he did not want to see him.


    ¡°It seems like shizun doesn¡¯t like shibo, the Sect Leader.¡± Gu Yun conjectured.


    ¡°There¡¯s no ¡®seems like¡¯ about it. He definitely doesn¡¯t like him.¡± Jiang Ling said.


    ¡°He doesn¡¯t like him, but he gave him the position of Sect Leader?¡± Gu Yun did not understand.


    ¡°Who knows.¡±


    Jiang Ling rolled her eyes at Gu Yun. Ever since yesterday, she did not want to give Gu Yun any face.


    With these kinds of circumstances, Jiang Ling wanted to go and find Shangguan Qing; doubtless she would know something.


    Speak of Cao Cao and he doth appear[1]. When they had walked about half of the way back, they were called to a stop by Shangguan Qing.


    ¡°Jiang Ling-er, I¡¯ve finally found you. My shixiong is really too dull. Every day, aside from practicing martial arts, all he ever does is read. It¡¯s so dry and dull, I¡¯m better off having fun with you.¡± Shangguan Qing squeezed past Gu Yun to Jiang Ling¡¯s side and looped her arm affectionately through hers. She turned toward Yun He, ¡°Yun-shijie, can I borrow her for a while?¡±


    Jiang Ling looked at Yun He, who said: ¡°Go along with Shangguan-shimei.¡±


    ¡°Yun-shijie is a good person.¡± Shangguan Qing pulled Jiang Ling away to go for a stroll.


    ¡­


    ¡°You just came out of Zhengqi Palace. Did you go to pay your respects to shizun, Luyi-zhenren?¡±


    Jiang Ling thought of Luyi¡¯s gradually aging appearance and felt full of a sorrowful feeling, ¡°Mm, but shizun doesn¡¯t look too good.¡±


    ¡°I thought so, too. Seventeen years ago, Luyi-zhenren dealt a severe blow to the leader of the Manichaens, Azar, and his own cultivation was greatly harmed. From what you have said, it seems that Luyi-zhenren¡¯s injury is no small matter ah.¡±


    ¡°Oh, right. Shangguan-shijie, what are we doing?¡± Jiang Ling did not want to keep thinking of Luyi-zhenren¡¯s affairs.


    ¡°I¡¯m bringing you to have some good food. Follow me.¡± Shangguan Qing was mysterious.


    ¡°Have you heard of the ¡®Ming Blade¡¯?¡± Shangguan Qing drew close to Jiang Ling in a cryptic manner.


    ¡°No, never.¡± Jiang Ling admitted. She herself did not really understand Jianghu. For the past sixteen years, she had read books, practiced martial arts, and taken care of the daily necessities on Minghe Mountain. She did not even understand the people by her side. She was one of those ¡®scholars¡¯ whose ears were shut to affairs beyond the window.


    Shangguan Qing had at last found an intimate friend who could listen to her many pieces of information. At the moment, all she thought of was to impart everything she had seen and heard onto Jiang Ling, ¡°That ¡®Ming Blade¡¯[2] was the sword of the leader of the Manichaens. It could be here at the Qingshan Sect.¡± She lowered her voice lest she be heard by others.


    ¡°Why would the Manichaen leader¡¯s sword be here?¡±


    ¡°Not the whole thing, I¡¯d wager. That ¡®Ming Blade¡¯ is actually a pair of blades called ¡®Sun¡¯ and ¡®Moon.¡¯[3] After the events of seventeen years ago, rumor has it that one of the blades, the ¡®Moon¡¯ blade, was lost and its whereabouts unknown. I¡¯m almost sure that it ended up at the Qingshan Sect. Thus, I was thinking to ask around to verify my guess.¡±


    ¡°If that¡¯s true, then the Qingshan Sect would definitely enshrine it to frighten Jianghu and rise up to be the top sect. Why would even Jianghu¡¯s Bai Xiaosheng not know of it, do you think?¡±


    ¡°Jiang Ling-er, you are truly bright. And so, I only conjecture, and I don¡¯t dare be certain. Perhaps it¡¯s here, and perhaps it¡¯s not, but the Qingshan Sect has not said anything. When you are moving about the sect, help me make some indirect inquiries.¡±


    ¡°So Shangguan-shijie was waiting here for me the whole time.¡± Jiang Ling finally understood, ¡°The solicitous person harbors evil intentions.¡±[4]


    ¡°Alright, Ling-er, come on! I¡¯m very curious.¡±


    Jiang Ling thought that if Shangguan Qing applied her ¡®curious¡¯ intent to her martial arts, her cultivation would surely ascend a level. She did not know how she and that Shen-shixiong from the other day, who had not gotten one word in edgewise, had gone through so many years without growing tired of each other.


    ¡°Call me A Qing. I¡¯m not that much older than you. It¡¯s always ¡®Shangguan-shijie,¡¯ but it¡¯s not as close.¡± Shangguan Qing had already long considered Jiang Ling a sister of her own family.


    ¡°A-A Qing.¡± Jiang Ling was a little unaccustomed to the address. She thought of He Xi, whose words were few. If she accompanied He Xi for a couple of more days, would she ask to call her ¡®A Xi¡¯? Jiang Ling immediately put down her own thought. Everyone was different; how could she compare Shangguan Qing and He Xi?


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Shangguan Qing thought that Jiang Ling did not like the address, and she reflected on whether or not she had behaved rudely.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing, I just thought of a friend of mine.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re with me now, but you are thinking of someone else?¡± Shangguan Qing raised an eyebrow.


    ¡°No.¡± Jiang Ling blushed because of Shangguan Qing¡¯s comment.


    Shangguan Qing laughed as she pinched her reddened cheeks, ¡°I never thought that little Ling-er¡¯s skin would be so thin.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t make fun.¡±


    Shangguan Qing pulled Jiang Ling to the back of the mountain and caught a hare.


    Jiang Ling saw Shangguan Qing pull out a packet of spices from her lapel after she finished roasting the hare and sprinkled some on it. Jiang Ling asked her what it was, and Shangguan Qing said that it was a type of seasoning from the western regions. All one had to do was roast the meat and scatter some of the seasoning, and the meat would transform into a wonder of the human realm, superior even to that of the imperial kitchens.


    ¡°The western regions? Have you met many people from the west?¡± Once Jiang Ling heard her mention the west, Jiang Ling became interested again.


    ¡°Not many.¡± Shangguan Qing pulled off two legs and split them between Jiang Ling and herself. She related as she ate, ¡°Those of us in Longxi are close to the western regions, which are just through the Yumen Pass. Previously, there were few westerners, but in the past few years, many more have come. However, they don¡¯t seem to be coming all the way to the central plains and tend to remain in Longxi.¡±


    ¡°In other words, there is a possibility they could come to the central plains?¡±


    The sprinkle of seasoning was indeed tastier than the food of the imperial kitchens.


    ¡°Mm. The current Manichaen leader, Gelan, was influenced by the central plains¡¯ culture and gave strict instructions to his followers, looking to repair relations with the central plains. Recently, the west and the central plains have gotten along peacefully, with exchange between the two more frequent now.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±

 CH 9

    When Jiang Ling returned to the Condensing Heart Courtyard, the curtain of night had already fallen on the day as the crescent moon hung upon the tips of the tree branches. Outside the courtyard, she looked around, but she found that, unexpectedly, the lamp was not lit in Gu Yun¡¯s room, and so she went directly to Yun He¡¯s room. After she knocked and entered, she found that Gu Yun was not in Yun He¡¯s room, either.


    ¡°Shijie, I¡¯m back. Where¡¯s shixiong? I have some nice things to give him.¡± Jiang Ling inquired about Gu Yun as soon as she entered. She had taken some packets of the western spices from Shangguan Qing, and she was anxious to give it to him so that the next time he cooked he could use some.


    ¡°A Yun descended the mountain. He¡¯ll be back tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°What? So he descended the mountain secretly, behind my back. I want to go, too.¡± She wanted to descend the mountain immediately to go find He Xi; find her, and ask her if she could call her ¡®A Xi.¡¯


    ¡°Nonsense. Your shixiong descended the mountain to handle some business, not to go have fun.¡± Yun He chided her.


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Jiang Ling could only pout and sit back down. Yun He likewise said nothing, so the room passed through a bout of abnormal silence.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to sleep.¡± Jiang Ling could not sit there for another moment.


    The second day, Gu Yun returned with some snacks from down the mountain, ¡°There¡¯s not as much good food on the mountain. It¡¯s better down the mountain.¡±


    And he said that he was not going to have fun, Jiang Ling criticized in her mind.


    For the next few days, Jiang Ling, Shangguan Qing, and Gu Yun were lively and stirred up good-natured trouble amongst themselves. The time passed happily until, at last, the day of the Sword Conference arrived.


    The Sword Conference area was located at the base of a mountain not far from the entrance gate; that area was unusually flat and even, as if the heavens had used a blade to cut out the cross-section on which the Sword Conference Stage was located. The Sword Conference Stage was not large, no more than five zhang[1] across. As it was a competition, sword arts and internal force would be compared and relatively superiority and inferiority distinguished, so the size of the stage was not a concern. To the left and right of the stage were large platforms for the disciples to watch the matches, while the viewer¡¯s stand for the sect leaders and elders was situated in front.


    At this Sword Conference of four sects, each sect leader brought ten disciples to take up the challenge. The competition on the first day would not include the disciples of outside sects, and only disciples of the same generation from the Qingshan Sect could sign up. Only those who placed among the top ten would be able to compete during the next four days.


    Today, the sun was shining, and the banners embroidered with emerald bamboo danced and flapped in the breeze. The Sect Leader, Liu Qi, along with Elder Yi of the Hall of Regulations, Elder Ye of the Hall of Swords, and Elder Sun of the Hall of Medicine waited for the attention of all of the elders gathered, and alongside the rumbling drumbeats, Gu Shi announced the start of the Sword Conference.


    Jiang Ling was completely aware of her own weak points, and she made a special effort to foster her strengths and circumvent her weaknesses. All she strove for were steadiness, accuracy, and speed, the ability to disarm her opponents before they could react. In the event that she could not defeat her enemy in one move, and she was locked in a stalemate, then she was not far away from defeat. So, she planned to surrender if she found herself in a stalemate. Yun Yangzi had also once entrusted her with a full understanding of her situation: at the root of it, she had to be nimble and adaptable, and she could not meet force with force. Jiang Ling had implemented this principle: to flee from an opponent she could not defeat.


    ¡°A Du, did you sign up, too?¡± Jiang Ling saw that A Du was also in the column of disciples.


    ¡°Mhm, to test the progress of my cultivation.¡± A Du had already been at the Qingshan Sect for three years, but he had not before joined the Sword Conference, nor had he had the chance to become an inner disciple, so he thought to give it a try. As he spoke, A Du suddenly took a step back and hid behind Jiang Ling. As it was, Jin Jue had walked over. The way he held his nose up when he looked at people made others irritated.


    He stretched out a hand to pat Gu Yun and Jiang Ling on their shoulders, displaying a hypocritical show of friendship as he said, ¡°Jiang-shimei, Gu-shidi, good luck today. I don¡¯t know if you¡¯ll have a chance to compete after today. Don¡¯t falter because, after all, you two are inner disciples of the Qingshan Sect. Don¡¯t lose face for Yun Yangzi-shibo.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re competing today, as well?¡±


    Jiang Ling recalled that the first eight inner disciples from the last Sword Conference would be directly added to the list for this one. Yun He and Jin Jue, as well as the Sect Leader¡¯s second disciple, Yu Qiu-shijie, were of the same age and rank and had no need to join today¡¯s competition. All they had to do was arrange for their own itinerary, whether it was joining the spectators or spending the day relaxing. At this moment, Yun He was sitting on the viewing platform.


    ¡°I thought to come and wish shidi and shimei good luck. Perform well, Jiang-shimei, Gu-shidi.¡± The tone of Jin Jue¡¯s voice was nauseating; Jiang Ling did not want to say one more sentence to him.


    ¡°Thank you, shixiong.¡± Gu Yun bit out, feigning courteousness.


    Jin Jue affectedly exchanged some greetings with the other shixiong and shimei before leaving.


    ¡°Hmph.¡± Jiang Ling snorted loudly behind Jin Jue¡¯s back, making sure that Jin Jue heard it.


    In no time, the competition began.


    Jiang Ling¡¯s turn to take the stage came as noon approached. She was sitting to one side watching Gu Yun smoothly defeat his opponent, and she was eager to have a go. Her opponent was about the same age as her and so slender that they appeared that the wind could blow them away. The two ascended the stage and Gu Shi called a start to the match.


    Jiang Ling and the young saluted each other then began their opening moves. Who would know that, while the youth seemed slim and fragile, his technique was exceptional. A Du said anxiously: ¡°Jiang-shijie won¡¯t have a problem, right? Han-shixiong¡¯s qinggong technique is the best of our generation.¡± Gu Yun draped an arm over A Du¡¯s shoulder: ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡±


    The youth raised his sword and lept, reaching Jiang Ling in the span of a second. Jiang Ling took in his motions instantaneously, and the corners of her lips turned upward. Her body slanted slightly, avoiding the strike as her left index finger pressed toward the youth¡¯s wrist acupoint with concealed force, as she wanted him to drop his sword out of pain. That youth saw through Jiang Ling¡¯s intentions and turned to one side to avoid Jiang Ling¡¯s strike. At that moment, Jiang Ling followed the youth¡¯s steps and raised her sword to bring it down onto the youth¡¯s blade, and with a flick of her wrist, the sword flew out of the youth¡¯s hand, dumbfounding him. The sword spun in the air, and Jiang Ling lept up to grab it, then landed lightly back on the ground.


    ¡°Admit your defeat.¡± Jiang Ling saluted the youth and she held his sword out to him in both hands.


    The youth was amazed by Jiang Ling¡¯s technique, and he received the sword from her hands, ¡°I admit it wholeheartedly.¡±


    ¡°Jiang Ling wins!¡± Gu Shi declared the result of the match.


    ¡­


    ¡°Good skills.¡± On the viewer¡¯s platform, Elder Ye of the Hall of Swords let out a breath, ¡°Yun Yangzi¡¯s little seedlings are fairly talented.¡±


    ¡°Hmph, all show, but no skill.¡± Elder Yi puffed out his beard again, not agreeing with Elder Ye.


    ¡°She seems like¡­¡± Liu Qi had an inkling, and he found that Jiang Ling¡¯s dodging movements were both strong and clever.


    ¡°Like what?¡± Elder Yi did not expect that this unruly girl would draw the Sect Leader¡¯s attention.


    Liu Qi did not dare be sure, and he did not answer.


    ¡­


    ¡°Woah, Jiang-shijie is so fast!¡± A Du was dumbstruck. Jiang Ling had won in such a short amount of time; as expected of Yun Yangzi-shibo¡¯s personally instructed disciple.


    Jiang Ling used these kinds of methods during the following matches, finishing all of her events within a few moves and successfully entering the latter four days of competition with Gu Yun.


    The first day wrapped up quickly. A Du had a bout of bad luck, winning his first match but losing the second match despite his best efforts. ¡°Seems like I won¡¯t have the chance to become an inner disciple.¡±


    A Du¡¯s entire body was enveloped in a depressed shadow. Gu Yun patted him on the shoulder and consoled him, saying that he would have a chance next time, and if he worked hard for the next four years, he would pass for sure, and if he did not, then he would take A Du as a disciple himself. Jiang Ling told him not to make fun of A Du. Making a peer become a disciple was just being smug.


    Jiang Ling rubbed her aching shoulders, getting ready to head back for a rest. Shangguan Qing floated down from the viewing platform and landed in front of Jiang Ling.


    ¡°Jiang Ling-er, I didn¡¯t expect your skills to be so exceptional. You really can¡¯t judge people based on appearances.¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about by ¡®can¡¯t judge people based on appearances.¡¯ Do I look like someone with bad qinggong skills?¡± Jiang Ling was not happy to hear this, and said that she could accept this about her martial arts, but she could not tolerate others calling her qinggong skills into question.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be mad, I was just praising your concealment abilities. I really have no words, simply as graceful as a swimming dragon[2])!¡±


    ¡°Mm, I¡¯ll tentatively pardon your crime.¡± Jiang Ling was comforted by her words.


    ¡°If I meet you tomorrow, I can¡¯t show you mercy.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯d better show me mercy. I¡¯m a fake martial artist, so you¡¯ll expose me.¡± Jiang Ling spoke frankly.


    Shangguan Qing thought Jiang Ling was being modest, so she did not take it to heart, and she again brought Jiang Ling to the back of the mountain to roast a pheasant. Gu Yun shamelessly dragged A Du and came along too. In the end, the one pheasant became two.


    Jiang Ling wanted to send Gu Yun off to cook for Yun He. Gu Yun said that he already saw shijie, and she said that he could go along. Jiang Ling had no choice but to accept Gu Yun¡¯s noisiness.


    Gu Yun simultaneously ate the roast pheasant, admired the magical properties of the western spices, and complained to Jiang Ling for always sneaking off with Shangguan Qing to eat wild game without telling him. It really was too ungrateful.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t tell me when you descended the mountain, either!¡± Jiang Ling said with a grudge.


    ¡°I went to take care of some business.¡± Gu Yun explained.


    ¡°Ai ai ai, you two shouldn¡¯t argue when we¡¯re eating. Right, A Du?¡± Shangguan Qing broke them up.


    ¡°It¡¯s really tasty, Shangguan-shijie. If you let me have some of these spices, I¡¯ll make something for my fellow disciples.¡±


    ¡°Our A Du is the best.¡± Jiang Ling said.


    ¡°Yeah, A Du is the best.¡± Gu Yun patted A Du, as affectionate as a pair of brothers.


    Shangguan Qing was speechless. It turns out, shixiong and shimei pairs love to talk and bicker with each other, just like this scene. She started to rejoice in Shen Xiuqi¡¯s uncommunicativeness.


    ¡­


    Because of the next day¡¯s competition, the four of them said their farewells early and returned to their respective abodes.


    Jiang Ling and Gu Yun walked along the return path.


    ¡°How did I do today?¡±


    ¡°Barely convincing.¡±


    ¡°Speak truthfully.¡± Gu Yun suddenly turned serious.


    ¡°To tell you the truth, it¡¯s hard to say. The competitors today weren¡¯t very strong. Even I made it through easily.¡±


    ¡°I thought so too. What do you plan to do tomorrow?¡± Gu Yun was a little worried for Jiang Ling.


    ¡°Me? My natural talents are weak, so the fact that I could make it this far is already good. It¡¯s enough that I can protect myself. Tomorrow¡¯s loss is just a loss, not something shameful. What about you? Your da-ge is so amazing, so you can¡¯t go up there and lose. You have to give your da-ge some face.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry about that. I¡¯m not someone who cares about some kind of false reputation. Do you think shifu will care, either?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true. Losing face for shifu doesn¡¯t count as losing face.¡±


    The two reached a consensus and left all of the burden to Yun He.


    ¡­

 CH 10

    Chapter 10: Admitting Defeat


    The second day of the competition formally began. This day was also the seventeen year anniversary of the Manichaens withdrawing from the central plains, so this was both the largest group of disciples gathered together from various sects and the largest competition. In the fight with the Manichaens, each sect in Jianghu had sustained some form of loss, and so, most hid their skills to bide their time, and there was never an opportunity for the major sects to meet again and mutually compete.


    In the morning, the square was packed full of people. Shangguan Qing and Shen Xiuqi spotted Jiang Ling and the other two in the square.


    ¡°Today¡¯s the day.¡± Shangguan Qing said, looking out at the vast crowd.


    Yes, the real test of strength had officially begun.


    From the other majors sects, Shen Xiuqi and Shangguan Qing of the Longxi Yueluo Sect, Wu Yue and Leng Ningshuang of the Jiaodong Qiushui Sect, Xu Qiu and Zhang Xiaoshan of the Wuling Qiantian Sect were the outstanding figures amongst the younger disciples. The disciples of the four sects may have either been brought by an elder, or by their personally attending sect leader. Qingshan Sect¡¯s Sword Conference had now become a distinguished gathering of Wulin, so each and every disciple was enormously eager to compete.


    The second day was not actually completely filled with matches; for the first half of the day, the crowd of disciples would collect in the square and listen to the advice of their seniors.


    Elder Yi of the Hall of Discipline represented the four major sects in dumping what Jiang Ling thought was a heap of nonsense on the disciples.


    It was those disciples who, before the competition, would make friends and by no means harm each other. The Sword Conference this year was to strengthen the relationships between sects, not damage them. Soon afterwards, the disciples drew lots to determine the matches.


    Gu Yun and Yun He would both be competing during the afternoon, with Qiushui Sect¡¯s Wu Yue and Qiantian Sect¡¯s Xu Qiu. Then, Jiang Ling would face Shangguan Qing in the morning tomorrow.


    ¡°Jiang Ling-er, I didn¡¯t expect us to be so destined. It simply must be fate!¡± Shangguan Qing thought internally that it was the tender concern of the heavens. She had long wanted to measure herself against Jiang Ling, so the heavens were really smiling down on her. She hugged Jiang Ling.


    ¡°A doomed fate.¡± Jiang Ling kept calm and slipped out of Shangguan Qing¡¯s grip. She was not so used to being so intimate with others.


    ¡°Tomorrow, you have to go all out. Don¡¯t go easy on me.¡±


    ¡°Seriously?¡±


    ¡°Of course, your full effort. The movements of the martial arts are peerlessly exquisite when performed well. We can, of course, be circumspect about it, but only exerting oneself to the utmost is the highest regard one can give an opponent.¡° Shangguan Qing was suddenly in earnest, catching Jiang Ling off guard.


    ¡°¡­¡± Jiang Ling did not quite understand.


    ¡­


    That day, Gu Yun and Yun He both defeated their respective opponents. Yun He, of course, was the obviously superior fighter, defeating Xu Qiu in swift order. Gu Yun¡¯s match was not as easy; after exchanging over one hundred moves, Gu Yun at last captured a slight opening in Wu Yue¡¯s offense, and with the ¡°Qian Shui¡± sword at Wu Yue¡¯s throat, the match was concluded.


    After the fight, Gu Yun took deep breaths: ¡°Tough, too tough. As we expected, today¡¯s competitors are real martial artists.¡±


    Jiang Ling did not pay too much attention to Gu Yun. He chattered and chirped like a bird, describing each of his moves with Wu Yue. Jiang Ling did not listen to a word he said, in her heart fretting over her match with Shangguan Qing the following day. Judging by her manner,she planned to use most of her force during the match. Jiang Ling thought over how to lose while saving a bit of face.


    Once the time of the match arrived, Jiang Ling grew even more restless. Shangguan Qing wielded a spear, but was not the Yueluo Sect a sword sect? But it turns out that Shangguan Qing was a spear-wielder! No wonder she had never seen a sword at her hip. Jiang Ling¡¯s head hurt from the thought.


    Shangguan Qing stood on the stage, her red-tasseled spear carried on her back. The blowing wind tousled her raven-black ponytail and the deep purple hem of her robe, her bearing heroic and courageous.


    ¡°Why do you wield a spear.¡±


    ¡°I like it.¡± As expected of Shangguan Qing, ¡°Jiang Ling-er, watch closely!¡±


    Just as her words had fallen, Shangguan Qing lifted that red-tasseled spear and pointed the spearhead at Jiang Ling. With the force of a thunderclap, the spearhead whooshed through the air, and within the blink of an eye, arrived before Jiang Ling. Jiang Ling raised her sword to block, bending at the waist as the speartip slid past her front. Shangguan Qing kicked up into the air with both legs, her hands gripping the red-tasseled spear raised as she crossed the distance between them, bearing down on Jiang Ling.


    Upon seeing these movements, Jiang Ling put her left hand on the ground to support herself as she slanted her body to the side and deflected in a circle, disrupting Shangguan Qing¡¯s thunderstrike-like moves. The sturdy red-tasseled spear sank into the wooden planks of the stage. Witnessing this, Jiang Ling turned the edge of her blade, slicing down toward the body of the spear. Shangguan Qing¡¯s hands loosened, and her left leg pressed down onto the top of the spear, freeing it from the planks.


    The red-tasseled spear spun in the air until the spearhead was pointing directly at Jiang Ling¡¯s chest. Shangguan Qing¡¯s martial arts were indeed exceptional and her powerful movements forced Jiang Ling to constantly be on the defensive. She had already known her limit before arriving here, and she knew deep down that she could not continue the fight. The tips of her toes skipped along the ground as she turned her body to dodge the blow. The red-tasseled spear had already slipped past her front and was level with her body. Shangguan Qing immediately leapt up onto the body of the spear, kicking Jiang Ling in the chest with the force of the spear behind her. Jiang Ling saw an opportunity, and with a skillful turn of her feet, she reflected the majority of Shangguan Qing¡¯s force back toward her. She crossed her arms in front of her chest and made use of Shangguan Qing¡¯s energy to be ¡®thrown¡¯ back ten zhang, falling off the stage.


    ¡­


    So it was like this. Liu Qi had a clear view of Jiang Ling¡¯s movements, and he did not know why, but as soon as he had seen the young lady, he had felt a sliver of strangeness in his mind. This child had a high level of comprehension of the martial arts, but she used these kinds of martial arts moves instead. Why, exactly, was this the case? Perhaps only Yun Yang knew, but he and Yun Yang had not spoken in many years.


    ¡­


    ¡°A Qing, nice skills.¡± Jiang Ling stood below the stage and saluted.


    ¡°Shangguan Qing wins!¡±


    ¡°¡­¡± Shangguan Qing regarded Jiang Ling with a deep gaze, her brow creased tensely, then turned and left the stage.


    ¡°A Qing!¡± Jiang Ling sensed something off about Shangguan Qing¡¯s mood, so she followed her.


    Shangguan Qing seemed like she had not heard her call and ran further and further away. She soon reached the square, but the square was empty, as everyone had gathered for the match.


    Jiang Ling had no other option but to use her qinggong to follow her.


    ¡°A Qing, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Jiang Ling caught up with Shangguan Qing and pulled on her robes.


    ¡°Don¡¯t call me A Qing. I don¡¯t have a friend like you!¡± From her appearance, Shangguan Qing was truly infuriated.


    ¡°What is wrong?¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t need to throw the match. What meaning is there in that?!¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t throw. I really couldn¡¯t beat you.¡± Jiang Ling explained.


    ¡°You just did. You obviously didn¡¯t try your best.¡± As Shangguan Qing spoke, the corners of her eyes revealed unexpected traces of wetness, ¡°This was the biggest disrespect you could¡¯ve shown me!¡±


    Jiang Ling could not help but laugh and say: ¡°Running away is the best I can do.¡±


    ¡°Nonsense. You didn¡¯t use any force.¡±


    ¡°Honestly, I can¡¯t use too much internal force. The little I can utilize is used on qinggong, to run for my life.¡± Jiang Ling had no choice. When facing Shangguan Qing like this, she had to reveal the truth.


    Shangguan Qing¡¯s eyes widened, her expression one of surprise; surprise regarding Jiang Ling¡¯s revelation, as well as surprise over Jiang Ling telling her about her weak point without holding anything back.


    ¡°Is it alright to tell me about this?¡± Shangguan Qing was in tears, this time out of worry for Jiang Ling.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing between sisters like us. You¡¯ll have to protect me later, I can¡¯t beat anyone.¡±


    Shangguan Qing promised not to tell anyone of this matter, and she also promised that so long as Shangguan Qing was there, no one would be able to mess with Jiang Ling.


    The two of them were on good terms again and returned together to spectate the matches. Shangguan Qing found Gu Shi as soon as she returned and asked to withdraw from the competition. Jiang Ling tried to stop her, but Shangguan Qing¡¯s decision was firm. Shangguan Qing had a very straightforward personality. For her, things were simple, and her mind would not change once she made a decision.


    The match immediately afterwards had nothing to do with Jiang Ling, so she and Shangguan Qing sat on the spectating platform to cheer on the other disciples.


    Gu Yun had not expected that, after clawing his way into fourth place, he would directly encounter Yun He. In his entire life, he had never beaten his shijie, and his time was, of course, no exception. Yueluo Sect¡¯s Shen Xiuqi defeated Jin Jue and would contend with Yun He for the seat of honor.


    In deciding the third place finish, Gu Yun and Jin Jue would have their inevitable confrontation.


    That night, the trio sat in the Condensing Heart Courtyard. Gu Yun sat in front of the table, clenching his fist as he smacked the table once.


    ¡°Alright, just give me the opportunity to teach that arrogant scoundrel a lesson. You saw that when Yueluo¡¯s Shen-shixiong defeated him, he had a defiant look in his eyes, like he wanted to chop Shen-shixiong into pieces. How pitiful that he¡¯s incapable. I saw that dejected look all too clearly.¡±


    ¡°Shixiong, though I also want you to teach him a lesson, I watched him for a few matches. That Jin Jue¡¯s moves are ruthless and vicious. You must be more careful.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t believe in me?¡±


    ¡°Jin Jue even beat the Sect Leader¡¯s second disciple, Yu Qiuyi-shijie, and he was only defeated by Shen Xiuqi after over fifty moves.¡±


    Yun He said: ¡°If A Yun really cannot beat him, you must not stubbornly resist. That person has an unusual temper, so you need to be cautious. A win or loss is nothing more than a false reputation.¡±


    When Gu Yun saw that his shijie and shimei were like this, he was, internally, a little unreconciled. A fighting spirit that did not want to admit defeat rose in his heart. Tomorrow, he would surely beat Jin Jue.


    ¡­


    Jiang Ling sat in her room, peacefully breathing in the night breeze. Autumn had not yet arrived, and in the cool, refreshing wind, Jiang Ling released the worries of the past few days, her spirits lifting.


    In one more day, the Sword Conference would conclude. She did not know how He Xi¡¯s stock replenishing down the mountain was going, nor did she know if they had brought the magical spices of the west, capable of turning the foul and rotten to rare and ethereal, to do business; if they opened up a market for it, it would surely sell well.


    Thoughts of descending the mountain once again floated up in her heart. The day after tomorrow, she could leave the mountain.


    They would go to Mingzhou. She had heard that Mingzhou was by the sea; Jiang Ling had never seen the sea before. Afterward, they could go to many other places and see the vast realm of Jianghu. They could even go to the western regions and see if the women there all looked like He Xi, with those extraordinary eyes.


    In these three months after they descended the mountain, Jiang Ling had gained more and more life experience. She had met many people, including Lady Chu Yue, whose matters continued to weigh on her and made her sink into a melancholy until He Xi had, fortunately, relieved her of it. She had met He Xi, the first foreigner she had known. She was unconventional, and she spoke the language of the central plains just as well as the locals did. She had also met Shangguan Qing, a conversationalist who felt like an old friend from the beginning.


    Jiang Ling sat in her room as she reminisced about the past three months. She discovered that more things had happened in the last three months than her sixteen years of living on Minghe Mountain. She began to like the Jianghu that was brimming with the unknown.

 CH 11

    Chapter 11: A Failure


    The fifth morning¡ªthe final day¡ªushered in the Sword Conference¡¯s big finale. The seat of honor would be decided between the disciple of Qingshan Sect¡¯s Yun Yang, Yun He, and the disciple of Yueluo Sect¡¯s Sect Leader Han Yuyang, Shen Xiuqi.


    Han Yuyang did not arrive for the ceremony, instead sending an elder, Han Yuyang¡¯s uncle of the same clan, Han Pengyi. The elder¡¯s beard and hair were grizzled, the wrinkles on his face as deep as ravines. He was different from Lu Yi in that he was truly an old man yet young at heart, and he continued to stand straight and full of vitality. Owing to the fact that he had lived in Xibei in recent years, his skin was tanned from the sun.


    Before the ultimate match, Gu Yun and Jin Jue¡¯s match gathered everyone¡¯s attention.


    A Du stood on the spectating platform, wringing his hands in worry: ¡°Can Gu-shixiong do it?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure, either.¡± As she stood on the platform with A Du, Jiang Ling¡¯s palms were sweating.


    Shangguan Qing said: ¡°Your Gu-shixiong is very sharp. I don¡¯t think he will put himself at a disadvantage.¡±


    ¡°You say that, but last night he looked like¡­how do I put it, he was acting unusual, like he was thinking of beating Jin Jue.¡±


    Shangguan Qing said, ¡°Oh, it¡¯s good to have a strong fighting spirit. Be at ease, isn¡¯t your shixiong¡¯s brother, Gu Shi-shixiong, here? He won¡¯t let his younger brother come to harm.¡±


    ¡­


    For the past few days, Han Pengyi had not come to the event area. Rather, he had constantly been with Lu Yi-zhenren reminiscing about the old days. His thought was that when people grow old, they love to chase their past memories and always have something to say to others. Further, he could not look to those good-for-nothings of his own to place high on the list, and he especially did not want to lose face. As expected, that girl Shangguan Qing had won her contest yet disregarded the advice of others and withdrew, and all of the other disciples had been defeated one by one. The youth of today ah, always so tuckered out. Back in his day, the youth had shared the same drive, wishing for nothing more than a few extra shichen per day to practice their martial arts. It¡¯s just that he had never expected that the simple and reticent Shen Xiuqi would make it to the final match, so he could only go and have a look.


    Elder Yi of the Hall of Discipline saw Han Pengyi arrive, ¡°How rare for us to be graced with your presence, Han-xiong.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it to come and watch those useless disciples of mine.¡± Han Pengyi disliked how Elder Yi trained his disciples, punishing them with kneeling or copying books at every turn. What use did that have? That time would be better used having the erring disciples practice their martial arts.


    ¡°Han-xiong is too modest.¡± In his mind, Elder Yi criticized: So old, yet you still remember to hit back with a few words.


    ¡­


    The first match would be Gu Yun and Jin Jue.


    Gu Shi stood in the center of the stage. He motioned for the two to salute, but they remained motionless. Gu Shi frowned, ¡°Gu Yun, Jin Jue.¡± His tone carried a trace of anger.


    The two could only give a perfunctory salute, then the match began.


    ¡°Gu-shidi, today, I¡¯ll let you experience the true sword arts of the Qingshan Sect.¡± Jin Jue lifted a brow, his gaze beyond contemptuous.


    ¡°True sword arts? I¡¯ve heard the Qingshan Sect¡¯s sword arts are among the finest of Wulin. Then how did they lose to Shen Xiuqi of the Yueluo Sect? Could the sword arts of the Qingshan Sect be all smoke and mirrors, or are your knowledge and skills just subpar?¡±


    ¡°Watch and learn.¡± Jin Jue tapped two fingers on his scabbard, and with his internal force, the scabbard flew like an arrow leaving the bowstring, streaking across the vast sky toward the space between Gu Yun¡¯s eyebrows. Gu Yun raised his sword-like eyebrows, slanted his head to dodge the blow, and the scabbard embedded itself directly in the wooden post of the spectating platform not far from Gu Yun¡¯s back. The shaking of the platform made the spectators unable to stand.


    Shangguan Qing said: ¡°Quite unreasonable.¡±


    Upon seeing this, Jiang Ling grew even more anxious. The way she looked at Gu Yun was like she wanted to join him in his life-and-death match.


    Gu Yun drew his ¡®Qian Shui¡¯ sword as well, dropping his scabbard off the stage and confronting Jin Jue.


    The two of them flew into the air at the same time, the inner force from their clashing swords making the air undulate and ripple. Gu Yun lowered his body, sweeping Jin Jue¡¯s leg. Jin Jue leapt up lightly, flipping over Gu Yun as he swiped the edge of his blade across Gu Yun¡¯s mouth, each of his movements ruthless and relentless.


    ¡­


    ¡°His actions are so vicious.¡± Jiang Ling gripped the railing in both hands!


    ¡­


    Gu Yun pressed down with force and agility, sliding about a zhang across the planks and avoiding the impending crisis. As expected, Jin Jue¡¯s moves were vicious.


    In an instant, Jin Jue had lifted his sword and leapt in front of Gu Yun and slashed downward. Gu Yun focused his strength and deflected the blow with his ¡®Qian Shui¡¯ sword. Immediately after, Gu Yun tilted his body and used the opportunity to gather force in his palm. Jin Jue did not avoid it and likewise gathered his internal force and stretched out a hand to meet Gu Yun¡¯s. The two palms met and they compared internal force.


    Gu Yun was two parts inferior, but his fighting spirit made him grit his teeth and persist, not giving so much as an inch. They withdrew their palms at the same time and put a distance of two zhang between each other.


    ¡°Are you really eldest shixiong¡¯s little brother?¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Gu Yun¡¯s attention was diverted by his abrupt, nonsensical question. When his attention returned, Jin Jue was once again on the offensive. Gu Yun had to immediately meet the strike, but after his momentary distraction, Gu Yun was forced to the side of the stage by Jin Jue¡¯s successive attacks and he looked like he was about to fall off the stage. Gu Yun did all he could to change things around. He dissolved Jin Jue¡¯s strike and created an opening. He took the opportunity to use his qinggong, and in the blink of an eye, he landed in the center of the stage.


    The onlookers all let out a breath, but Jin Jue did not give Gu Yun a chance to breathe and was on him in an instant. In mid-air, he pressed a foot onto Gu Yun¡¯s back and poured internal force into the strike. Gu Yun only felt the weight equal to that of Mount Tai bearing down onto his back until he could not lift his body, and he fell to the ground. He made to stand up again, and Jin Jue pressed him down with a foot on his shoulder until he could not get up.


    ¡°I meant, your knowledge and skills have no foundation, but you¡¯re a little better than the other bumpkins on this mountain.¡± Jin Jue said aggressively, ¡°Eldest shixiong had already earned the seat of honor at your age. But you? Mediocre and commonplace. The Gu Family treated you as a treasure back then, but from what I can see, it¡¯s better if the Gu Family only has eldest shixiong as a son.¡±


    ¡°You¡­¡±


    ¡°Jin Jue!¡± Although the people around the stage had not heard Jin Jue¡¯s words clearly, Gu Shi had heard them and reprimanded Jin Jue.


    ¡°Jin Jue wins! He earns third place!¡± Gu Shi announced the result, then supported Gu Yun to the side of the stage. Jiang Ling and Yun He had determined the result in one look and hurried over to Gu Yun¡¯s aid.


    ¡°A Yun.¡± Gu Shi said anxiously.


    ¡°Da-ge, I¡¯m fine, don¡¯t worry about me. Continue.¡±


    Jiang Ling assisted Gu Yun and saw that he did not look well. Yun He told Jiang Ling to bring Gu Yun to have his injuries looked over and not worry about her match. Jiang Ling nodded and brought Gu Yun to rest.


    Halfway back, Gu Yun¡¯s expression turned serious and he spat out a mouthful of blood, scaring Jiang Ling.


    Just then, A Du had run over to see Gu Yun out of worry, and when he saw Gu Yun spit blood, he rushed to support him too, ¡°The Hall of Medicine. Let¡¯s go to the Hall of Medicine.¡±


    The elder of the Hall of Medicine did not like martial arts. He had attended the competition at the beginning, to show his support, but he left soon afterward to read medical texts and dry medicine.


    Seeing Jiang Ling and A Du support Gu Yun as they walked in, he wore a surprised expression, ¡°Which lousy disciple landed such a severe blow?¡±


    He rushed forward to take Gu Yun¡¯s pulse. His channels were fine, and his internal injury was not severe. He would be well in about two days. Jiang Ling did not believe him; how could someone be well in a couple of days after spitting blood?


    ¡°Little girl, you don¡¯t believe the words of an old man like me?¡± Elder Sun took out two pills from his medicine bottle and gave them to Gu Yun, ¡°My special ¡®dewdrop pills¡¯ are designed to treat internal injuries.¡±


    A Du affirmed: ¡°Jiang-shijie, you can be at ease. Elder Sun¡¯s medicines are very effective.¡±


    As it turns out, after Gu Yun took the pills, he looked much better.


    ¡°It¡¯s a shame I didn¡¯t defeat Jin Jue and was taunted by him instead.¡± Gu Yun was still thinking over his loss to Jin Jue. Afterward, he would work on his martial arts more.


    ¡°Don¡¯t mention him.¡± Jiang Ling was annoyed as soon as his name was brought up.


    ¡°So it was Jin Jue, that low-quality disciple.¡± Elder Sun was also irritated by this disciple. The majority of the wounded disciples the Hall of Medicine saw to were there because Jin Jue hurt them.


    ¡°Why did the Sect Leader accept a disciple like him?¡± Jiang Ling did not understand. She had not seen much of the Sect leader, but from what she could see, while a stickler for the rules, he was not someone who could not distinguish between good and bad people. Jiang Ling said as much, then immediately felt that she had been rude and hurriedly stopped her sentence.


    Elder Sun did not bother with these kinds of trivialities, ¡°The Sect Leader received the help of Jin Jue¡¯s parents when he was younger. It was a case of returning a kindness. But Jin Jue¡¯s character is so unreasonable that he even irritates Elder Yi.¡±


    ¡­


    Over on the competition¡¯s side, the contention for the seat of honor had just commenced.


    Shen Xiuqi was unlike Shangguan Qing, who was independent in thought and action. He practiced the blade arts of the Yueluo Sect. He looked like a boor of Xibei, but his martial arts movements were fine, minute, and dexterous. His blade arts were delicately beautiful; every sweep of his blade generated a breeze. Yun He had received Yun Yang¡¯s knowledge. The sword arts of the Qingshan Sect were performed with the grace of a startled swan[1] and the strength of iron beneath the elegance. The two moved back and forth, each move brilliant.


    ¡­


    ¡°That girl is Yun Yang¡¯s disciple?¡± Han Pengyi asked.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Liu Qi answered.


    ¡°Yun Yang¡¯s disciples really outdo others of their generation. These two disciples placed among the top four.¡± Han Pengyi smoothed a hand along his beard.


    ¡°I don¡¯t see it. One was all show and no skill, the first one who lost to your Shangguan. I don¡¯t know what sort of fallacies she told her, but she convinced Shangguan Qing to withdraw from her later matches.¡± As soon as he spoke of Jiang Ling, Elder Yi was angered.


    ¡°So it was her. Our Shangguan Qing withdrew because of her, a disciple of Yun Yang. She is a little capable after all hahahaha!¡± Han Pengyi laughed. Years ago, he had met a young Yun Yang, who was rather unlike his straight-laced, conforming shixiong, Liu Qi. He was more like a free and easy wastrel of Jianghu, moving about as he wished. He was just like his disciples, each with their own strong points.


    ¡­


    ¡°A Ling, I¡¯m doing much better, and A Du¡¯s here. Go over to shijie.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Jiang-shijie, I¡¯m here. Quickly go over, or the match will have already finished.¡±


    Jiang Ling saw that Gu Yun was looking healthier, so she could relax a little bit. She hurried over to the stage.


    When Jiang Ling arrived, she saw Yun He¡¯s long sleeve as she blocked Shen Xiuqi¡¯s left palm. Her index finger tapped on the acupoint on his arm. Shen Xiuqi¡¯s internal force was powerful and resisted Yun He¡¯s strike, but it ached bitterly and he retreated a step. He held his sword backhandedly on his right as it slanted across his body. Yun He leaned back to avoid his blow, her left foot lifting up to kick his right wrist. Shen Xiuqi¡¯s sword-wielding hand had been injured, so he could only adjust his posture. In that instant, Yun He¡¯s ¡®Chu Yun¡¯ had already tapped Shen Xiuqi¡¯s shoulder.


    Gu Shi announced, ¡°Yun He wins.¡±


    ¡°Nice skills.¡± Shen Xiuqi was sincere in his defeat.


    ¡°You as well, Shen-shixiong.¡±


    ¡­


    The competition was successfully concluded. The Qingshan Sect was bustiling once again and the disciples started preparing to welcome the guests to the celebratory feast.


    Shen Xiuqi was dragged to the Condensing Heart Courtyard by Shangguan Qing for a little gathering. Gu Yun had already returned from the Hall of Medicine with A Du and was doing much better.


    ¡°Gu Yun, you¡¯re alright.¡± Shangguan Qing had seen his wane complexion when he had been defeated and was sure that he had been injured.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine, just a small injury. I¡¯ll be fine in a couple of days.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good. I caught a mountain pig.¡± Shangguan Qing spared no effort and hauled up the little mountain pig to reward everyone for the day¡¯s efforts.

 CH 12

    Chapter 12: Evening Banquet


    The four of them exchanged a few words. Gu Shi arrived with some herbal medicine and kindly asked about Gu Yun¡¯s condition. Because he was busy with some other matters, he hurriedly bid farewell again.


    ¡°Gu-shixiong treats you very well. Even being so busy, he still came to see you.¡± Shangguan Qing said.


    ¡°Mhm, he is my da-ge, after all.¡±


    ¡°Shixiong, don¡¯t be like this. You only lost to Yun-shijie, it¡¯s not anything to be ashamed about.¡± Shangguan Qing found that Shen Xiuqi had not uttered a word this entire time and he looked a little shy, which was not in line with his unrestrained and rough exterior.


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°You haven¡¯t so much as breathed a word for half a day. Anyone who didn¡¯t know you would think that you¡¯re a mute. Ai, go start a fire in the courtyard, we¡¯ll have some roasted pig in a bit.¡±


    Shen Xiuqi sounded an affirmative then went to the courtyard to start the fire. A Du went with him to help.


    ¡°There¡¯s a celebratory banquet this evening, but you¡¯re going to eat so much now?¡± Jiang Ling thought to leave room for the food at the banquet, and she had thought to resolve a few things during lunchtime.


    ¡°It¡¯s lunch now, so there¡¯s no problem. Didn¡¯t you think to bring some food offerings to your shixiong? He¡¯s injured, and you have the heart to make him cook?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Unexpectedly, they spent the majority of the day roasting the small mountain pig. Six people gathered around the table to eat together.


    ¡°Ai, I knew it was better to roast something like a pheasant or rabbit, they cook so fast. I¡¯m going to starve to death.¡±


    ¡°But mountain pigs are the tastiest!¡± A Du said, his mouth full.


    ¡°With these words from A Du, it¡¯s worth it.¡± Shangguan Qing was happy to receive approval.


    ¡°Right, what plans do you have?¡± Shangguan Qing asked, ¡°Will you remain in the Qingshan Sect?¡±


    ¡°No. Shifu has already formed his own school, so we have no reason to stay here.¡±


    ¡°Then how about you all come to Longxi with us. While Longxi is a little out of the way, its charm rests in its local customs, which are quite different from those of the central plains. It¡¯s very fun, and the meat roasts are even more delicious!¡± Shangguan Qing issued the invitation. She and Jiang Ling were like old friends, so she could not stand separating so quickly.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, A Qing, but we¡¯re going to go to Mingzhou for a while. Everything else can be planned later.¡± Jiang Ling answered.


    ¡°Mm, we are going to Mingzhou first. Gu Yun hasn¡¯t seen his mother, father, or eldest sister in many years.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true, it¡¯s important to visit family. It¡¯s too bad, but if you are traveling around afterward, be sure to come to Longxi and find us.¡± Shangguan Qing was a little sad.


    ¡°Of course we will.¡± Jiang Ling replied.


    ¡°When the time comes, I would like to ask Yun-shimei for instruction.¡± Shen Xiuqi finally spoke. Everyone had just about forgotten that he existed.


    ¡°You¡¯re still here, shixiong?¡± Shangguan Qing teased.


    Yun He agreed: ¡°Then I don¡¯t dare be remiss.¡±


    Just as the group was chatting, a little disciple ran into the courtyard, ¡°A Du, A Du! You¡¯re here, so it was easy to find you!¡±


    ¡°A Yue, what has you so harried?¡± A Du asked.


    ¡°A good thing! A good thing! I just heard news from the Hall of Swords that Elder Ye is going to accept you as a disciple. I came to tell you to get your things in order and go see Elder Ye. In a few days, there¡¯ll be a ceremony to recognize him as your shifu.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± A Du did not dare believe his ears!


    ¡°Really, really.¡± Gu Yun said, ¡°I heard it loud and clear. Congratulations, A Du!¡± Gu Yun was happy for A Du. Ever since they arrived at the Qingshan Sect, A Du had been with them like another little shidi of theirs. But what he came out of his mouth was, ¡°It¡¯s a pity, I¡¯m down one disciple.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Gu-shixiong. If you don¡¯t object, I really could be your disciple.¡±


    ¡°Ai, you should hurry over to Elder Ye. Disciples are too much of a bother.¡± Gu Yun was genuinely scared that A Du would lose this golden opportunity, so he quickly sent him off to go to the Hall of Swords.


    When the rest of them heard the news, they were happy for A Du as well.


    By the time they finished eating and cleaning up, the banquet was just about to begin. Shangguan Qing and Shen Xiuqi rushed off to their own quarters to change into clean clothing.


    ¡°Let¡¯s get ready and change, too.¡± Yun He said.


    Gu Yun and Jiang Ling sounded their agreement, then headed to their rooms to change.


    Once Jiang Ling finished changing, she once again wore the robes she had been wearing when she arrived. She picked up the clothes of the Qingshan Sect and ran her fingers along the bamboo patterns on it. In the end, they would part from the Qingshan Sect.


    She tidied her clothes and stacked them properly, preparing to wash them after the banquet. There was a beginning and end to everything. She sat on the bed and looked around.


    The day was growing late, and the setting sun splashed color over the not-so-small room. In as little as five days, Jiang Ling had become attached to the little room and was reluctant to part with it.


    Those who walk in Jianghu will always meet and part with others. This was the beginning of a journey into Jianghu.


    Jiang Ling put away her sentiments and stood, inspecting the contents of the room to imprint them deep in her mind. The bronze mirror on the table basked in the glorious radiance of the evening sunlight, which caught Jiang Ling¡¯s attention. It was the bronze mirror that Gu Yun had taken out of his room.


    Jiang Ling picked up the bronze mirror and looked at it closely. She discovered that on its handle was a tiny ¡®Yao¡¯ character. It must have been left behind by the shijie who had lived here before.


    Jiang Ling knocked on Gu Yun¡¯s door and passed the mirror to him, ¡°Here, I¡¯m returning this to its rightful owner.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not mine, so why¡¯re you giving it to me?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m giving it back to the shijie who used to live here. Look at the character engraved on it.¡± Jiang Ling showed the little character to Gu Yun.


    ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± Gu Yun took the mirror, ¡°Then I¡¯ll put it back in its original place.¡±


    Once Yun He came out, the trio saw that they all wore their own clothing and exchanged smiles.


    ¡­


    The banquet was held in the Guest Palace[1], which while not large, was more than sufficient to hold the disciples and elders of the three sects.


    The errand-running disciples had gone down the mountain before to procure fresh ingredients and find famed chefs of some restaurants to prepare a gourmet spread. Elder Yi, who was in charge, had come to the Guest Palace early to prepare. Any disciples who did not move fast enough would hear his reprimands.


    The chefs brought their skills out to bear, and as the fragrant aroma of the feast wafted over the Qingshan Mountain, even the small critters on the mountain gathered together.


    ¡­


    Once the trio was ready to go, they headed over to the Guest Palace.


    A flock of birds suddenly took flight on the mountain. Jiang Ling vigilantly gazed over to that distant spot.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Gu Yun asked.


    ¡°Nothing.¡± She was probably too sensitive. It was just a flock of birds.


    Halfway there, they ran into the disciples of the Yueluo Sect.


    ¡°Jiang Ling-er!¡± Shangguan Qing went forward to meet her like they had been separated for ages.


    ¡°Humph.¡± Han Pengyi looked at Shangguan Qing acting this way and feigned anger, ¡°Miss Shangguan must want to transfer sects.¡±


    The trio heard Han Pengyi¡¯s stern voice and were frightened. They said to Han Pengyi reverently: ¡°Greetings, senior.¡±


    ¡°Mm.¡± Han Pengyi was quite satisfied; Yun Yang¡¯s disciples were taught well.


    Shangguan Qing hurried back over to Han Pengyi, ¡°Senior-shishu[2], would you really have the heart to let me transfer?¡±


    ¡°Why would I not?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll go study the Qingshan Sect¡¯s sword arts, then.¡±  Shangguan Qing acquiesced to Han Pengyi¡¯s words.


    ¡°Then my ¡®thunderclap¡¯ spear technique will be lost because of you, lousy girl.¡± Shangguan Qing had originally studied under Han Pengyi. Han Pengyi was a contemporary of Lu Yi, and back then, the ¡®thunderclap¡¯ spear had been as famous in Jianghu as Lu Yi¡¯s Qingshan sword arts. Han Pengyi thought that the disciples he had brought along were bothersome. He himself was an old man without any female relatives or wife, so it was not prudent for him to accept a girl as a disciple, and so, he had left Shangguan Qing with Han Yuyang. Han Yuyang did not have a son by his knee, and Shangguan Qing had been brought up by Han Yuyang¡¯s wife, so Han Pengyi would every now and then come to their courtyard to teach the little girl.


    ¡°It was Senior-shishu who didn¡¯t want me first.¡±


    ¡°Fine, fine, come back so your shimu[3] can scold you.¡±


    ¡­


    Han Pengyi saw that the trio was still standing in place, ¡°Is your shifu well?¡±


    ¡°Shifu is very well. He is back on Minghe Mountain enjoying a leisurely life.¡± Gu Yun said.


    ¡°That¡¯s good, haha.¡±


    Looking at these three disciples, Han Pengyi recalled the three disciples of Lu Yi. They had been young and vibrant, too, and daring and energetic enough to make people envious. Then he thought, it was not that he could not accept disciples, but rather, he had later seen one of those disciples leave and another die, leaving only Liu Qi behind to bitterly guard the mountain gate. He sighed and thought that being alone was just fine. It was just that, after he had taught Shangguan Qing and he was entrusted with her care, he could not rest easy this time with Shangguan Qing traveling outside of the sect, so he used the pretext of traveling with her to come and see how his old friend was doing.


    It was easy for those up there in years to reminisce on the past. Whenever he met Lu Yi, they would talk endlessly. Yun Yang¡¯s three disciples unavoidably made Han Pengyi sorrowful.


    Han Pengyi signaled to everyone to continue on without delay. Jiang Ling waited and joined with the group of Yueluo disciples to go to the Guest Palace. The food was served just about as they entered.


    The Guest Palace was already full of many people. The Sect Leader, Liu Qi, as well as the sect leader of the Qiantian Sect, Zhong Shi, had already arrived and were recalling past events.


    The disciples of each were guided to their seats one after the other by little disciples of the Qingshan Sect.


    Liu Qi expressed that they need not hold back and called a beginning to the banquet.


    As Jiang Ling and the other two were conversing with the disciples of the Yueluo Sect, they naturally sat beside them. Shangguan Qing had just come from Longxi, so she had never really had the chance to sample the cuisine of the southern central plains. She intended to eat her fill this time. Because the trio had eaten the mountain pig earlier, they were not very hungry, so they only ate some food to be polite.


    However, from how Shangguan Qing and Shen Xiuqi acted, it was like the mountain pig had never existed. They ate and drank everything in sight, and it was unknown if everyone in Xibei had appetites like these, or if it was just them.


    ¡­


    ¡°Liu-laodi[4], won¡¯t you have a cup?¡± Zhong Shi invited Liu Qi to a drink.


    Liu Qi shook his head.


    ¡°You really were a little fuddy-duddy as a child, and now that you¡¯re at this age, you¡¯re an old fuddy-duddy.¡± He did not know how he got married back then.


    Zhong Shi really wanted to ask if he had had a drink at his wedding, but he did not have the opportunity to ask.


    ¡°Zhong-xiong.¡± Liu Qi suddenly took the offered cup and emptied it in one gulp. Since he had seen Yun Yang¡¯s three disciples, things of the past had risen in his mind constantly. His mind was unsettled, so he drank the wine to ease his worries.


    ¡°Good wine! Haha!.¡± Zhong Shi laughed uninhibitedly.


    Liu Qi drank some, then sensed that Elder Ye of the Hall of Swords had not yet arrived at the banquet, even though he is usually late.


    ¡°Gu Shi, go to the Hall of Swords and invite Elder Ye over.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡± Gu Shi rose and quickly headed off to the Hall of Swords.


    ¡­


    Gu Yun absent-mindedly ate, then looked in A Du¡¯s direction and started to walk over to where he was.


    ¡°Why are you going over there?¡±


    ¡°To have a man-to-man talk with A Du. Don¡¯t come over ah.¡± Gu Yun put on a tight-lipped expression.


    ¡°Who even cares.¡± Jiang Ling put her chopsticks down, a sense of exasperation and irritation clogging up her chest.


    ¡­

 CH 13

    Chapter 13: A Theft


    Jiang Ling was irritated by Gu Yun, and she had already lost her appetite, so she said to Yun He after a while, ¡°Shijie, it¡¯s too suffocating in here. I¡¯m going out to catch my breath. I¡¯ll be back soon.¡±


    Jiang Ling bid farewell to the people of the Yueluo Sect, then rose and left.


    As soon as she passed through the entrance and she stood in the mountain¡¯s clear breeze, she suddenly felt refreshed and clear-headed.


    ¡°Hua¡­¡± A flock of birds abruptly took flight in the distance.


    What wild animal was out there hunting for prey? The Qingshan Mountain was no stranger to rare and valuable fauna, so out of her curiosity, Jiang Ling lept up to the treetops and traveled toward the flying birds with her qinggong skills.


    As Jiang Ling drew closer, her heart began to palpitate. She landed on a tree trunk and regulated her breath. The tree branches were mottled with scattered moonlight, and the still surroundings created a gloomy, foreboding air. Jiang Ling started to regret running out here by herself, and she made to withdraw.


    ¡°Hua¡­¡± Nearby, another group of birds suddenly flew off; a storm was brewing.


    Jiang Ling¡¯s heart continued to beat out of her chest. She had never in her life been this frightened, and she wanted to flee from this haunted place immediately.


    Just as she was going to leave, she heard the faint sounds of fighting not far away.


    Jiang Ling silently drew closer; it was Gu Shi.


    Gu Shi was engaged in a fight with two masked figures, one tall and one short. The short one was thin and slender, so the two were likely a man-woman pair.


    The pair was quite capable, and even though Gu Shi was highly skilled and talented, it was still two against one, and he was slowly losing his position.


    ¡°Leave it behind.¡± Gu Shi yelled. It seemed that the thieves had come to steal precious items from Qingshan Mountain.


    Jiang Ling focused her gaze and discovered that the woman was carrying a large sack on her back. She was likely carrying, if not a saber, then a sword. With this discovery, she would help Gu Shi ¡®steal¡¯ the item back, then run. Gu Shi would have no scruples with the arrangement, as he could then rely on his skills to extricate himself from the two thieves.


    Jiang Ling thought through her strategy, then stealthily snuck behind the two thieves, waiting for the opportunity to strike.


    Gu Shi brandished his sword against the woman. The woman¡¯s footwork was nimble and agile, but as she thought to look for an opening to flee, Gu Shi engaged her in combat, so for the moment, she could not escape. The man protected the woman, repeatedly hindering Gu Shi. As Gu Shi was obstructed by the man over and over again, he grew angry, and his sword became imbued with killing intent as he bore down on the man.


    His sword, filled with Sword Energy, slashed across the man¡¯s body. The man was surprised and also seemed infuriated. He gripped the blade in his hand, and with the piercing sound of air splitting, the man waved his blade at Gu Shi. Gu Shi slanted his body then leapt high into the air, and as the edge of his sword hummed like a sleeping dragon, he carved his sword, as if splitting the heavens, downward toward the man¡¯s nape. Blood would spatter everywhere in an instant. A ¡®sisi¡¯ sounded in the night; there were hidden weapons.


    He only saw silver needles impact his sword, pinging off the surface with ¡®tingting¡¯ sounds. Just as needles sank into his arms and abdomen, he changed the direction of his sword, and the man escaped his disastrous fate. Gu Shi supported himself on his sword, vomiting a mouthful of blood.


    At that moment, when the woman¡¯s full attention was on Gu Shi, Jiang Ling dropped out a tree with the speed of a lightning bolt and grabbed the treasure off the woman¡¯s back. Based on what she could feel, it was a blade of some kind. The woman was stunned by Jiang Ling¡¯s sudden appearance and was rooted in place, her irises dark and opaque.


    ¡°Jiang Ling, hurry, bring it back! Let everyone know there¡¯s something wrong on the mountain!¡± Gu Shi was astonished to see Jiang Ling appear here. A chance to turn the situation around had arrived.


    ¡°Mhm,¡± Jiang Ling hung the blade on her back, and without a moment¡¯s delay, flew off with her qinggong.


    However, she had not made it far when countless silver needles caught up to her. With no choice, she could only abandon her forward trajectory. She turned to one side and landed on one side of a horizontal tree branch.


    The silver needles plunged into the tree trunk, shaking it until leaves fell off. The man let out a whistle; they had backup!


    Jiang Ling did not dare waste time. Availing herself of the time before the woman caught up, Jiang Ling rushed forward without halting.


    Suddenly, Jiang Ling felt the wind of a palm strike in front of her. She subconsciously dropped down to evade the strike, landing on the ground. As it happens, the woman had taken advantage of the moment Jiang Ling dodged to overtake her. Her qinggong was not inferior to Jiang Ling¡¯s.


    Just as she landed, the woman already had her hands on the blade on her back. Jiang Ling did not want her efforts to go to waste, so she reached a hand back to hold the blade in place, but she could only grasp the sack. Jiang Ling turned her body to shake off the woman¡¯s hand, but it was too late. In the moment she had turned, she glimpsed the woman¡¯s dark eyes and wondered where she had seen them before.


    In only one instant, the woman had pulled the blade out of the sack.


    On the surface of the silver blade were flame-like curling lines, and in the moonlight, Jiang Ling¡¯s eyes were blinded by the flashing brightness. While her attention was diverted, the woman¡¯s palm reached Jiang Ling¡¯s chest. Jiang Ling could not avoid the blow, so she could only stretch out her hand and take it on. Jiang Ling had never before confronted an internal force this strong before; the blow knocked the breath around in her chest, which felt like it would burst open. With a pain like that of having her limbs and bones rearranged, even breathing was a laborious task.


    Jiang Ling was sent flying back by the blow, and as her back hit the tree trunk, the tree¡¯s leaves once again rustled in the shaking and drifted down. Jiang Ling vomited blood and slowly sank to the ground.


    The woman stood in the distance rubbing the center of her palm.


    ¡°A Ling!¡± Gu Yun¡¯s cry sounded from nearby.


    ¡°Shi¡­xiong.¡± Jiang Ling¡¯s eyelids felt as heavy as iron, and her consciousness gradually dispersed into nothingness.


    ¡­


    Jiang Ling seemed trapped in one long dream. In the dream, she was surrounded by raging fire, the scalding air making her unable to draw breath, yet her body was unharmed by the flames. Nearby was a woman dressed in clothing of the west: He Xi. It was He Xi standing in the flames.


    ¡°He Xi, it¡¯s dangerous over there! Come over here, quickly!¡± Jiang Ling yelled.


    As if she had not heard her, He Xi walked deeper into the fire. Jiang Ling flew over and pulled on He Xi¡¯s hand: ¡°He Xi, come with me quickly. It¡¯s not safe here!¡±


    Jiang Ling took another look at her then dropped her hand, ¡°You¡¯re not He Xi. He Xi¡¯s eyes aren¡¯t black. Who are you?¡±


    The person remained silent.


    ¡°Who are you? Why do you look exactly like He Xi?¡± Jiang Ling grabbed her and continued her questions, but she only answered with her silence.


    In the span of an instant, the woman¡¯s body went up in flames. Jiang Ling panicked and reached a hand into the fire, but the flames only grew stronger. Jiang Ling¡¯s eyes went red with anxiety, ¡°No!¡±


    When the inferno reached the woman¡¯s brow, those pitch-black irises were burnished in the flames, turning into amber.


    ¡­


    ¡°Ah!¡± Jiang Ling woke from her nightmare with a start. Badly shaken, she looked around; she was in her room in the Condensing Heart Courtyard.


    ¡°Jiang-shijie is awake! Jiang-shijie is awake!¡± A Du hurriedly called Elder Sun of the Hall of Medicine.


    Elder Sun heard his cry and entered the room with urgency to take Jiang Ling¡¯s pulse.


    ¡°Strange. The majority of your internal injuries have healed.¡± This was the first time Elder Sun had seen someone who had been more dead than alive in so much better condition after only a few shichen.


    Jiang Ling covered her chest as she sat up, thinking of everything that had happened before she lost consciousness. She let out a shaky breath, not expecting to still be alive. She had thought that she would meet her end in that place, losing her life in a moment of impetuousness. Jianghu really was filled with people more talented than her; even little thieves¡¯ martial arts were this capable.


    ¡°Right, how is Gu Shi-shixiong?¡± Jiang Ling recalled that Gu Shi had been hurt. Right now, she did not have any major problems, so Gu Shi should likewise be fine.


    ¡°Eldest shixiong was heavily injured and hasn¡¯t woken up yet.¡± A Du¡¯s eyes gleamed with tears.


    Jiang Ling then found that A Du¡¯s face was marked by tear tracks.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine, no need to cry.¡± Jiang Ling stretched out a hand to wipe away A Du¡¯s tears, ¡°Then¡­¡±


    ¡°The disciples of the other sects have already gone to rest. Shangguan-shijie wanted to wait until you woke up, but it grew too late, and she was brought away by Senior Han.¡±


    ¡­


    ¡°A Ling!¡±


    ¡­


    Jiang Ling suddenly remembered that, before she lost consciousness, she seemed to have heard Gu Yun call out to her. A Du jabbered for a while but did not once mention Gu Yun. Jiang Ling¡¯s heart constricted; without reason, panic surged in her heart. She grabbed A Du¡¯s shoulder, ¡°And my shixiong?¡±


    ¡°Jiang-shijie¡­¡± Tears slipped out of A Du¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°What about Gu Yun, how is he?¡± Jiang Ling called Gu Yun¡¯s name with urgency.


    ¡°Jiang-shijie, Gu-shixiong¡­Gu-shixiong, he¡­he¡¯s gone¡­¡± A Du stammered, then bent over beside the bed and started to sob.


    ¡°What? What did you say?¡± Jiang Ling did not dare to believe her ears, ¡°Who¡¯s gone?¡±


    ¡°After you left, Gu-shixiong saw that you weren¡¯t there, so he went to look for you. Yun-shijie waited for a long time, then went to find the Sect Leader. They both went out to look for you two.¡± A Du could not stop crying as he told Jiang Ling.


    ¡°And then?¡±


    ¡°When we found you, the three of you were laying in the forest, on the return path¡­¡± A Du spoke with difficulty as his tears continued to overflow, ¡°On the return path, Gu-shixiong¡­was dying.¡±


    ¡°Jiang-shijie! Where are you going, you¡¯re hurt!¡±


    Jiang Ling rushed out of the room.


    The moon hung in the sky as before, covered in fine, gauze-like clouds, the desolate moonlight spilling onto her body as she ran to the hall.


    Jiang Ling charged into the main hall, startling the crowd.


    Jiang Ling stood by the door. A person was laying in the center of the main hall, covered in a white cloth. ¡®Qian Shui¡¯ lay motionlessly off to one side. It was Gu Yun. Yun He knelt next to him, her eyes glistening with tears. Jiang Ling swept a look over the crowd; everyone wore expressions of mourning.


    ¡°Shixiong¡­¡±


    Yun He saw Jiang Ling, ¡°A Ling, you¡¯re alright?¡± The heavens had sympathy and would not snatch another loved one from her.


    ¡°Shixiong¡­shijie¡­what¡¯s wrong with shixiong?¡± Jiang Ling walked over and knelt by Yun He¡¯s side. She still could not believe what had happened.


    ¡°Get up, Gu Yun!¡±


    As if she suddenly went mad, Jiang Ling went to lift the white cloth and pick up Gu Yun.


    ¡°A Ling.¡± Yun He hugged Jiang Ling from behind as tears once again filled her eyes, ¡°Those villains put poison on the silver needles.¡±


    ¡°Who did it?¡± Jiang Ling gnashed her teeth, a hatred blooming in her heart.


    ¡°Jiang Ling, do you know what happened?¡± Liu Qi asked Jiang Ling. Right now, the Qingshan Sect was in chaos. Jiang Ling and Gu Shi had been severely injured, and Gu Yun lost his life. The murderer was unknown; the disciples sent to scour the mountain had turned up nothing. He did not know how to explain this to Yun Yang nor to the Gu Family of Mingzhou. Even Elder Ye of the Hall of Swords had been blindsided and remained unconscious. There were no leads, so the moment Jiang Ling awoke, all he could do was ask her.


    ¡°I only remember that two armed thieves and their partner stole something.¡± Jiang Ling fought to remember, ¡°Gu Shi-shixiong tried to fight them off. I went to help him and was injured.¡±


    ¡°What was stolen.¡±


    ¡°It was a blade, a blade of fire.¡±


    ¡°Blade?¡± Liu Qi thought of something and sent a disciple off to the hidden chamber of the Hall of Swords to check.


    ¡°The blade looked like it was on fire¡±


    Fire. This fire was very familiar, like she had seen it somewhere before. Jiang Ling was sure she had seen it. She held her head in both hands and thought hard.


    Fire¡­


    Cornelian!


    Uhhh¡­Happy Easter?


    I had a rare day off today because of Easter Break, so I got a few chapters done.

 CH 14

    Cornelian!


    The fiery veins of the cornelian gem were exactly the same as the veins on the surface of the blade.


    Jiang Ling lifted her wrist and lightly pulled up her sleeve. That blazing cornelian gem, as red as dripping blood, ignited in her chest the flames of fury.


    The He Xi of her dream, with her black eyes, gradually merged with the He Xi she knew, becoming indistinguishable.


    ¡°It¡¯s her!¡± Jiang Ling squeezed out the words from between her teeth. Her chest was tight, but the warmth that trickled out of her dantian made her forget about her injuries.


    ¡°Who?¡± Liu Qi asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to kill her!¡± Jiang Ling seemed to have lost her reason, her state of mind overcome by resentment.


    She snatched the ¡®Qian Shui¡¯ blade from off the ground and rushed out of the hall.


    ¡°A Ling!¡± Yun He wanted to follow her but was stopped by Liu Qi. At this moment, the one closest to Gu Yun was Yun He. Liu Qi had his second disciple, Yu Qiuyi, bring some skillful disciples to go follow Jiang Ling.


    Jiang Ling did not know where she found the strength, but ever since she had awoken, she felt different from how she had before. Her dantian felt warm, as if she had endless strength. In no time, she had reached the bottom of the mountain, but once she reached the ferry crossing, she found there were no boats and the river was frighteningly wide.


    The gray light of dawn crept up to the horizon of the east; it would soon be daytime.


    No, if it is daytime, then people could leave the city! Jiang Ling, with no care for the condition of her body, stepped lightly across the surface of the river, sending out rippling waves that broke up the moon¡¯s reflection.


    ¡­


    ¡°Sect Leader.¡± The disciples sent to investigate hurried back and spoke a few sentences next to Liu Qi¡¯s ear. Upon listening, Liu Qi¡¯s expression shifted, and he said to the Qingshan disciple: ¡°Everyone, descend the mountain with me!¡±


    It was Manichaeism. Manichaeism had returned once again. They stole the Ming Blade¡¯s ¡®Moon,¡¯ harmed and killed their disciples and elders, and settled both new and old scores in one strike!


    ¡­


    When Jiang Ling arrived at Jiangdu Town, the gates had not yet opened. The town¡¯s gates may not be able to stop someone proficient in the martial arts, but they could block the way for camels.


    As expected, the camels were still there. Jiang Ling flew into the inn through the window in the back courtyard.


    Peng¡ª¡ªThe door to He Xi¡¯s room was abruptly slammed open by Jiang Ling.


    He Xi had already been prepared to wait for the gates to open to make her journey back to the western regions, and she nearly jumped out of her skin by the sudden bursting open of the door. She fixed her gaze on Jiang Ling. Wasn¡¯t she injured? How did she appear here?


    ¡°Jiang Ling, how did you get here?¡± Even a gallant swordsman would need at least two incense stick¡¯s worth of time to get to Jiangdu Town with their qinggong, and when factoring in Jiang Ling¡¯s heavy injuries and coma, which would require her to rest for a time, it was impossible for her to come to the town before the sun had even risen.


    Jiang Ling¡¯s eyes were red as she stared into He Xi¡¯s amber irises. Regardless if black or amber-colored, her eyes had a soul-snatching beauty. However, even people as vicious as snakes could be beautiful. She swept her gaze around He Xi¡¯s room once again and saw that her things had been arranged. It appears that she was just planning to leave.


    ¡°Have your goods been packed?¡± With tears in her eyes, Jiang Ling advanced two steps to question her.


    ¡°Yes.¡± He Xi stood up straight and returned Jiang Ling¡¯s gaze.


    ¡°You¡¯re leaving? Not planning to say goodbye to me?¡± Jiang Ling bit down on the inside of her cheek and forced the words out from the gaps between her teeth.


    ¡°I apologize, but something came up. I must leave.¡±


    ¡°You won¡¯t give me an explanation?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Jiang Ling took her silence as a tacit agreement. The flames of fury within her heart intensified.


    She drew out ¡®Qian Shui¡¯ and pointed its tip directly at He Xi. Seeing that He Xi would not elaborate any further, she giggled twice, a trace of cruel viciousness flashing through her eyes before she moved to stab He Xi without care for the consequences. Like a thunderbolt, she unexpectedly mustered a Sword Energy, and He Xi¡¯s heart would be pierced in an instant.


    A Na heard Jiang Ling¡¯s movements from the neighboring room and rushed over. Upon seeing the situation, he drew his sword and moved between the two of them, deflecting Jiang Ling¡¯s blade.


    He Xi¡¯s skills were, naturally, not lacking. She retreated out of the broken window.


    A Na blocked the strike and raised his hand to stretch out his palm toward Jiang Ling. Jiang Ling did not want to get further entangled with him, so she dropped her body down and moved her feet dexterously, sliding out from beneath A Na¡¯s palm and flying out the window to chase after He Xi.


    He Xi had already had an appreciation for Jiang Ling¡¯s martial arts skills, and in one moment, the point of her sword had arrived to the space between her eyebrows. As her Sword Energy met the precious red stone on her forehead, it shattered into pieces in an instant. The force of the Sword Energy blew across He Xi¡¯s forehead like a breeze. Her pupils shrank, and she braced herself against its strength with both palms. At the same time, she gathered her internal force and poured it into the sword. Jiang Ling¡¯s internal force was already thin, and due to her injuries and relentless pursuit, she was exhausted. She could not withstand He Xi¡¯s internal force. She only felt a pain blossom in the webbing between her thumb and forefinger, and she could no longer hold the hilt of the sword. Without care for the stabbing pain in her hand, she tightened her grip on the sword¡¯s hilt, wanting to advance its tip a bit further. A little further¡ªjust that little bit¡ªand she could avenge Gu Yun!


    At that moment, A Na came with two others. The entirety of Jiang Ling¡¯s attention was focused on He Xi, and with her injuries, her five senses were dulled; she had no awareness left for the people who had come up beside her. A Na reached out and grabbed Jiang Ling¡¯s ankle, and with his strength, pulled Jiang Ling out of the air and down onto a small vendor¡¯s stall. The stall was splintered into pieces where it stood.


    He Xi and A Na landed steadily on a rooftop facing the street and watched Jiang Ling calmly.


    ¡°Cough cough¡± Jiang Ling crawled out of the destroyed vendor¡¯s stall supporting herself on a wooden pole. The tremors in her hands made her unable to hold ¡®Qian Shui¡¯, and with a clang, ¡®Qian Shui¡¯ slipped out of her grip. The breath within Jiang Ling¡¯s chest was tumultuous, and it was difficult for her to draw breath. She covered her chest, fighting to breathe. Slowly, she raised her head to look at He Xi on the rooftop. Defying the dawn¡¯s light, Jiang Ling squinted her eyes, but could not see He Xi clearly.


    ¡°I hope you will be happy,¡± that day of the lantern festival.


    Ah, truly ridiculous. You killed my shixiong. How could I be happy?


    A hatred grew in Jiang Ling¡¯s heart once again and the corners of her eyes reddened. As the breath in her chest scattered in disarray, the pressure made Jiang Ling¡¯s vision go dark.


    He Xi sensed that something was wrong with Jiang Ling, but just as she was going to fly down to check, she saw Jiang Ling cough out a mouthful of blood then collapse to the side of the road, unconscious.


    A Na landed on the ground and walked up to Jiang Ling. He raised his blade, wanting to finish her off.


    ¡° A Na.¡± He Xi called A Na to a stop.


    ¡­


    ¡°It¡¯s so early, who¡¯s making such a ruckus?!¡± The store¡¯s attendant opened a window to hurl out a few choice words. As he looked, he saw a person collapsed by the side of a road beside a ruined vendor¡¯s stall. ¡°Someone jumped off the building!¡±


    The caravan, fully stocked with its wares, had long since left the city.


    ¡­


    When Yu Qiuyi arrived, Jiang Ling had already been taken into a room by the innkeeper and called for a doctor.


    The innkeeper had gotten up because of the attendant¡¯s cry that someone had jumped off the building. He had been so shocked that he had walked outside with his clothes in disarray. Luckily, the little lady who had jumped was still breathing, or the stir of her death would have made doing business difficult. Moreover, this little lady¡¯s belt was embroidered with bamboo, so who knew if she was a disciple of the Qingshan Sect. As such, he rushed to call a doctor over. By the time Yu Qiuyi and her party had arrived to search, it was already noon. When he knew that the little lady¡¯s shijie had come, he ushered them into the inn.


    ¡°You are the little lady¡¯s shijie?¡± The innkeeper said trepidatiously. While the Qingshan Sect¡¯s reputation had always been good in the past, it was their disciple who had jumped and fallen into a coma, after all. He was afraid to court further incidents.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Yu Qiuyi looked over Jiang Ling¡¯s injuries. She had a few scrapes and bruises, but nothing which was too concerning.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know how, but this morning, this little lady fell beside my inn, and the second story window was broken, too.¡± The innkeeper explained, ¡°But this little lady was not staying at the inn. What in the world happened?¡± The innkeeper did his utmost to deflect the blame from himself.


    ¡°The room on the second story. Who was living there before?¡±


    ¡°A little lady from the western regions. She was about the same age as you, and she lived with the rest of her caravan here at the inn. They stayed here for a while and purchased things like silk, porcelain, and medicine.¡±


    ¡°A western caravan?¡± Why did this girl, Jiang Ling, run over here to find a caravan of the western regions? Yu Qiuyi did not understand.


    ¡°They finished their business yesterday and left the city this morning.¡±


    ¡­


    In the space of half a day, the caravan had long left Qingshan Sect¡¯s sphere of influence.


    A person wearing the garb of the central plains, his head covered with a cloth, caught up to the small group of camels and found He Xi.


    ¡°Miss, I¡¯ve already checked.¡± Although that person was wearing the clothing of the western regions, one could tell from his appearance that he was truly from the central plains. It was A Na.


    ¡°Mm, I know.¡± He Xi sighed with a trace of helplessness.


    No wonder she had been covered in killing intent.


    This journey into the central plains had originally been to purchase some valuable medicinal materials for shifu, as well as to retrieve the Ming Blade¡¯s ¡®Moon,¡¯ which had been left behind.


    She had never expected to encounter Jiang Ling by a tea shop in Yuzhou. In the early morning light, the girl had stared at her with her fawn-like, dewy eyes. In actuality, she had known where the inn was, but she could not resist going over to talk to her. The embroidered bamboo patterns on her waist belt had told her that their objectives were the same.


    He Xi had thought that she had made the first friend of her life, but she had ruined their friendship herself just like that. Those red eyes of hers, He Xi would never forget. Her eyes had been full of hatred; she hated her.


    As she sat on her camel, she glanced at the blade¡¯s case, then lifted her gaze to the sun. The Sun and Moon would be together at last. The autumn sunlight would not burn one¡¯s skin, but the piercing light made He Xi unable to open her eyes. She stretched out a hand to block the sunlight. Her wrist was bare, a bracelet missing.


    He Xi dropped her hand and stared at her own palm.


    That day, He Xi had not thought that Jiang Ling would suddenly appear, and moreover, that with Jiang Ling¡¯s skill, she would completely lack internal force. When she had realized Jiang Ling¡¯s problem, she retracted the majority of the force in her palm strike, but for someone without internal force, the move was fatal. Yet, after not even a night had passed, she had woken and caught up to her.


    Jiang Ling, who are you?


    ¡­


    Jiang Ling laid on the bed, her brow creased tightly and her forehead covered in beads of sweat. Her lips mumbled unintelligibly, like she was trapped in a nightmare.


    Yu Qiuyi kept watch by her bed, lightly wiping the sweat off her forehead for her. She let out a gentle sigh. Everything had been fine yesterday, so how had all of this happened?


    ¡°Shijie.¡± A little shidi walked into the room and said softly: ¡°The Sect Leader has descended the mountain and will be in Jiangdu soon.¡±


    ¡°Mm. Go prepare for his arrival. Let them know we¡¯re here and that we¡¯ve found Jiang Ling.¡± If even the Sect Leader had come down the mountain, this was no small matter.


    Liu Qi had long sent the majority of the disciples to the area surrounding Jiangdu Town to pursue the caravan. He did not know for what purpose the Manichaens had stolen the blade; was it to declare war on Wulin of the central plains, or was it merely to retrieve a precious blade left behind seventeen years ago?


    He knew that it was too late to discover anything, that it was already too late to go to Jiangdu Town, and that they would have to search elsewhere to intercept them. But, because of that Jiang Ling, he could not rest easily. Gu Yun was gone, and if something happened to Jiang Ling too, then he would no longer have the face to look at his shifu and shidi.


    Only when the disciple dispatched by Yu Qiuyi arrived and told him that Jiang Ling was at an inn and without serious harm was he relieved, at last.

 CH 15

    As the caravan was walking through a forest, the camels¡¯ bells twinkled melodiously, complimenting the songs of the birds in the trees.


    ¡°Show yourself!¡± Ye Qi said vigilantly.


    A figure flashed through the woods and a person stepped out of the shadows. They wore the clothing of the Qingshan Sect, and without them saying a word, one could see from their face that they were arrogant and presumptuous: Jin Jue.


    Not expecting the Qingshan Sect to have already caught up to them, the members of the caravan raised their guard.


    ¡°Qingshan Sect, Jin Jue.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Everyone, do not look so fierce. I, this humble one, have come for a trade.¡± Jin Jue said, but he did not look to be there to discuss trade.


    ¡°Trade?¡± He Xi was bemused. Did they still have any leeway to negotiate a trade with the Qingshan Sect? Further, He Xi was not pleased with Jin Jue¡¯s manner of speaking.


    ¡°You did many things today at the Qingshan Sect. New hatred has piled on old, the resentful divide grows deeper and harsher. Should the Qingshan Sect give the word, even if you wish to mend relations in the future, it would simply be wishful thinking. So¡­¡±


    ¡°Miss, there¡¯s nothing to discuss with someone like him.¡± A Na lifted his blade to compel Jin Jue to retreat.


    ¡°Insolence!¡± Jin Jue spat.


    In an instant, the two of them became entangled in a fight.


    Ye Qi led the caravan as they continued forward. No one turned to look back.


    ¡­


    Jiang Ling¡¯s strength had been nearly spent that day. By the time she woke up, it was seven days later.


    In that time, the Qingshan Sect had fruitlessly tracked the Manichaens and informed the rest of Jianghu that should any sect be on friendly terms with the Manichaens, they would make enemies of the Qingshan Sect. This led to the expanding cessation of the exchange between east and west. Only the area west of Longxi continued to have some contact, with the merchants having some impact without being completely prevented from their gold-seeking endeavors.


    Liu Qi had sent a messenger pigeon to notify Yun Yang and the Gu Family of Mingzhou. Yun Yang and the eldest lady of the Gu Family, Gu Zhao, had already arrived at the Qingshan Sect.


    A Du told Jiang Ling that when she had been returned to the Qingshan Sect, Yun He had wanted to keep vigil beside Gu Yun¡¯s coffin, so Shangguan Qing had taken care of her. It was just that the Yueluo Sect wanted to return to Longxi, so she had to go with them. She had A Du say goodbye on her behalf.


    ¡°In the end, I wasn¡¯t able to say a proper goodbye to anyone.¡± Regardless if it was He Xi or Shangguan Qing, Jiang Ling mocked herself. Jiang Ling¡¯s chest tightened in pain just thinking of He Xi.


    The Qingshan Sect had placed a Zhuyan pearl[1] in Gu Yun¡¯s mouth to preserve his remains for three months. Once returned to Mingzhou, his father and mother could see him for the last time.


    The eldest lady of the Tang Family, Tang Wanyi, had come with Gu Zhao. Because she had earned back some face with Gu Zhao three months prior, she made a special trip to visit to offer an apology for the incident. As she was living in Mingzhou, Gu Zhao received the sad news of Gu Yun¡¯s passing.


    The Gu family became enveloped in dark clouds. The Master and Madam of the Gu Family were already elderly. Madam Gu had fainted from her sorrow and was unable to take up the arduous journey, so Gu Zhao was forced to make the trip by herself. Tang Wanyi could not rest easy and went with her.


    The color of Gu Zhao¡¯s face did not look well. When she saw Gu Yun, her knees had gone weak and she nearly collapsed. Luckily, Tang Wanyi was there to support her.


    ¡°A Yun, your sister has come to see you.¡± Her dear brother, who she had not seen in ten years, was laying right in front of her, his body as cold as ice. She could not accept it; she felt like a knife was being twisted in her heart, ¡°Our A Yun has grown so big.¡±


    Gu Zhao reached out to tenderly stroke Gu Yun¡¯s cheek. Tears gushed out of her eyes like a fresh water spring.


    Yun Yang was also standing to one side. When he saw the brother and sister pair like this, he felt a dull ache in his heart, his remorse deepening. At the outset, when he brought Yun He and Jiang Ling to live with him in seclusion on Minghe Mountain, he had thought that, when Yun He and Jiang Ling grew up a bit and could take care of themselves, he could entrust the two children to the villagers below the mountain. He, who had not traveled for many years, had decided to go for a leisurely trip to some far-off place.


    Yun Yang gave the villagers no small amount of remuneration for their care and set off on his distant journey.


    It was also at that time that he encountered Gu Yun.


    Gu Yun was seven years old and in a coma due to illness. The Gu Family had no choice but to offer a large sum of payment to find the best doctors. Yun Yang relied on his family background, having come from a prominent family of doctors, and his knowledge of medicine that he learned in his childhood to go and have a try, aiming for the large payment. And so, Gu Yun was saved from the Gates of Hell. Gu Yun¡¯s health was poor, and he needed to study martial arts to nurse his strength. Yun Yang accepted Gu Yun as his disciple and brought him back to Minghe Mountain. Yun He had a new shidi, and Jiang Ling had a new shixiong.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. It was I who did not look after you, A Yun.¡± Yun Yang said.


    ¡°Senior, there is no need. Brother Yun was sick and weak as a child. If he had not met you, Senior Yun, he would not have lived many days. These ten years were the time the Gu Family stole from the heavens.¡± Gu Zhao may have spoken thus, but her expression grew more sorrowful. Tang Wanyi came forward and stroked her back consolingly, ¡°A Zhao, restrain your grief.¡±


    ¡°The Qingshan Sect will demand justice for Gu Shi and Gu Yun and give the Gu Family a clear account.¡± Liu Qi, who was standing to the side, said.


    ¡°Justice?¡± Yun Yang gave Liu Qi a ridiculing look, ¡°The evildoers from those demonic Manichaens[2] have already crossed the Yumen Pass, I¡¯d reckon. Tell me just how you plan to demand justice?¡±


    ¡°Yun Yang!¡± From some time onward, his shidi seemed to have changed. Their closeness from before was gone and left between them only reticence and frosty words.


    ¡°Shixiong should use this opportunity to consolidate the Qingshan Sect. Wulin has been quiet for too long, and the disciples have long forgotten what exactly Wulin is. Evildoers could ascend the mountain and commit theft without discovery. This Qingshan Sect truly looks impressive but lacks real worth.¡± Each of Yun Yang¡¯s words were concise yet powerful, turning Liu Qi¡¯s mind upside down. Liu Qi was silent; it seemed like he agreed with every word.


    ¡°The two seniors need not fight because of Brother Yun. This matter is not entirely the Qingshan Sect¡¯s fault. Our Gu Family does not dare forget the hatred of the demonic Manichaens.¡± Gu Zhao said, then sighed, looking weary. She turned to look deeply at Gu Yun. Tang Wanyi supported her back to the guest residence. Servants of the Gu Family came in and took Gu Yun away.


    Tang Wanyi brought Gu Zhao back to the guest residence, carefully straightened out her bedding, and signaled for Gu Zhao to lay down and rest. Gu Zhao tiredly shook her head then sat on the edge of the bed.


    ¡°Do you want to go see A Shi?¡± Tang Wanyi thought that Gu Zhao would not rest because she needed to check on Gu Shi.


    Gu Zhao shook her head, ¡°People have been sent. They should be returning soon.¡±


    As expected, soon after, a little servant knocked on the door, came in, and spoke a little on Gu Shi¡¯s condition. She said that he had taken a turn for the better and would wake up in no time. Once she knew, Gu Zhao could relax, and she laid down to rest after sending the girl servant back.


    ¡­


    Jiang Ling sat on the stairs below the arch looking out at the beautiful scenery of Qingshan. Distant flocks of birds flew through the clouds, free and merry, while she seemed to have become a bird trapped in a cage, imprisoned behind the bars of her heart. She blamed herself for her lack of experience. When she had met a foreigner, she did not keep her guard up at all, hoping in vain to become friends.


    Jiang Ling knew that, whether or not she had told He Xi about the celebratory banquet, it would not have changed their actions, but had she not told He Xi about the banquet, and they had not chosen to act the night of the banquet, then who could say if Gu Yun would not have died. Jiang Ling sank into a mire of incomparable self reproach. She hugged her legs and buried her face in her arms.


    When Yun He heard from A Du that Jiang Ling had woken up, she went over to check on her and found that Jiang Ling was not in her room. She went to search for her and saw her frail form sitting on the right steps, her shoulders trembling. She sat beside Jiang Ling, pulled her into her arms, and consoled her gently.


    Jiang Ling felt Yun He come over, and she lifted her head and wiped her face, ¡°Shijie, it¡¯s all my fault.¡±


    ¡°A Ling, it¡¯s not your fault. It was the fault of those evil thieves.¡± Yun He reassured her.


    Jiang Ling still felt unrestrainable regret. She turned and laid down on Yun He¡¯s lap, weeping uncontrollably. Yun He stroked her head and sighed, turning her gaze to the distant white clouds, a trace of wetness in her eyes.


    ¡­


    Gu Zhao rested for a day. On the second day, she set out to bring Gu Yun back to Mingzhou. Yun Yang felt that he did not have the face to see the Master and Madam of the Gu Family, so he left on his own for a destination unknown. Yun He and Jiang Ling left for Mingzhou together. They had promised Gu Yun that, once everything had concluded, they would go with him to see his parents. They would see the sea together.


    Because it was not easy to bring Gu Yun with them, by the time the travelers had arrived at Mingzhou, a fortnight had passed. The weather was fading into late autumn, which in Jiangnan passed with the pitter-patter of intermittent drizzle and chilly breezes. Ordinarily, people always said that Jiangnan was good, and that the daily rain added to the Jiangnan flavor. But when meeting such rainy days with a grieving heart, it only added a gloomy and clammy element.


    While the Gu Family held the number one business in Jiangnan, the family lived remarkably simply. Unlike the sumptuous, majestic courtyards one might imagine of a rich family, the Gu Family had one courtyard with three entrances.


    Master Gu and Madam Gu wept again when they saw Gu Yun. Yun He and Jiang Ling felt the sight pluck a chord in their hearts, and they soon followed suit. The funeral was a simple affair; Master Gu and Madam Gu, their hair white, were sending off their young one, his hair still black, so they were not willing to see outsiders. They had Gu Zhao prepare it and soon laid Gu Yun to rest.


    After she helped Gu Zhao arrange everything, Tang Wanyi returned to Yuzhou. The Gu family sank into a period of cheerlessness and desolation.


    Another day. Another day of unbroken drizzle, a sticky, damp, sickly rain.


    Yun He prepared to say goodbye to the Gu Family and went to see the elders of the Gu Family. Master and Madam Gu had grown wan and sallow, but they still had some vigor and related many things to Yun He. They asked how Gu Yun had passed those ten years on Minghe Mountain.


    ¡°Shidi was very sensible.¡± Yun He said.


    The elders were gratified. Madam Gu reached out to clasp Yun He¡¯s hand, ¡°If MIss Yun does not object, take the Gu Family as your own. Miss Jiang as well. Yun-er would often speak of you in his letters, and he thought of you both as his own sisters. Naturally, you are our children, as well. If you can, please come visit us.¡±


    Yun He agreed and said farewell to the two elders.


    She returned to the guest room. Jiang Ling had already arranged their belongings, but there was no sign of the person herself. Yun He called out to her twice, but there was no response.


    Yun He knew Jiang Ling¡¯s disposition. She thought that Jiang Ling would not run off and that she likely went to find Gu Yun.


    ¡°Shixiong, I¡¯m going back tomorrow.¡± Jiang Ling knelt in front of Gu Yun¡¯s tomb, the rain gradually dampening her clothes. ¡®Qian Shui¡¯ was off to the side, ¡°If I have the chance, I will avenge you.¡±


    ¡°Shixiong, do you know? I seem to be well.¡± When Jiang Ling woke up, she felt the energy in her dantian churning. If only she had her internal force before.


    ¡°Shixiong¡­¡± Jiang Ling found it difficult to speak, her fists tightening their grip on her pants. She gritted her teeth, but could not stop her tears from rolling down.


    The rain grew stronger, and Jiang Ling¡¯s clothes were dyed darker by the deluge. The cornelian agate on her wrist flashed crimson, the light piercing through the rain and pricking Jiang Ling¡¯s nerves.


    Jiang Ling rolled up her sleeve and tried to remove the bracelet, but after several attempts, she could not find out how to undo the clasp.


    ¡°A special craft of the western regions. Aside from me, no one can take it off.¡± He Xi¡¯s voice echoed in her ears.


    Jiang Ling¡¯s chest tightened. A rage sparking within her, she made another two attempts, but could not snap the bracelet.


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t want you!¡± Jiang Ling seemed like she had lost her mind. She exhausted her strength, but the cornelian gem still firmly hung on her wrist, and her wrist was ringed in red.


    The corners of Jiang Ling¡¯s eyes went red, ¡°If that¡¯s how it is, then I don¡¯t want you either.¡±


    Jiang Ling pulled out ¡®Qian Shui¡¯ and held it over her own wrist, like she wanted to cut it off.


    ¡°A Ling!¡± Yun He appeared on time and grabbed her left wrist, the one that was holding ¡®Qian Shui.¡¯ Yun He held Jiang Ling down, ¡°What were you thinking?!¡±


    ¡°Shijie, I don¡¯t want it.¡± Jiang Ling¡¯s voice was hoarse, like she was going to cry. She lifted her right hand and showed Yun He the bracelet. Yun He gripped her wrist and pulled her sleeve down, ¡°If you cannot remove it, then don¡¯t remove it. Remember it.¡± Remember everything, and sooner or later, you will get recompensed.


    ¡°Remember her[3]¡­¡± She would only make me unhappy.

 CH 16

    He Xi¡¯s caravan had already passed the Yumen Pass and returned to Xiyu [1].


    The vast, bleak landscape of the Gobi Desert was starkly different from the lush scenery of the central plains. A place such as this seemed like people would never appear here.


    The camel caravan had long been used to this kind of harsh environment and continued forward through the desert.


    After an unknown amount of time, an oasis appeared along the fringe of the desert. While its grasses and trees could not compare to the vitality of the central plains, it added some life to the withered, yellow desertscape.


    The buildings here, too, were made of stone instead of the predominantly wooden buildings in the central plains. A small city stood on the site of the oasis, the corners of its array of roofs and city walls rounded, with an overall foreign design.


    As the residents saw the special caravan enter the city, they each saluted in succession.


    The caravan did not linger on the streets of the city and passed through. Behind the city was a high mountain, and on its peak rested the most glorious palace in the desert.


    ¡°The saintess has returned. Quickly, go inform his lordship.¡± The follower guarding the gate saw He Xi arrive and used the Xiyu language to tell the fellow follower beside them to report.


    He Xi returned to her residence and told the servants to sort out the various items she had brought back from the central plains. She picked up the Moon Blade and went to Jingshi Palace of acting leader Ge Lan.


    In the past, the Manichaen leader, Azar, had practiced and become utterly absorbed in the demonic art of ¡°Returning to the Beginning¡±[2]. As his evil tendencies deepened, he only thought of seizing the central plains in one fell swoop. After he was injured by Lu Yi, some of his reason returned and he withdrew the Manichaens into seclusion. He left everything to Ge Lan and appointed him acting leader, so all of the followers referred to Ge Lan as ¡®his lordship¡¯.


    ¡°Shifu.¡± He Xi crossed her right arm over her chest, saluting Ge Lan.


    ¡°How was it? Were the central plains very beautiful?¡± Ge Lan, when young, had been a handsome man of Xiyu, with a penetrating gaze, tall figure, and powerful build. His hair was braided tightly to his scalp, and at thirty years of age, one could still see the beauty of his youth.


    ¡°The people of the central plains are beautiful.¡± He Xi reminisced.


    They used the central plains language to converse. In his youth, Ge Lan had followed Azar to the central plains many times. He embraced the culture of the central plains and had a yearning for the central plains, and even learned the language. However, he had not made more than a few trips before the Manichaens and the central plains fell out with each other. He took up the mantle of acting leader and no longer had the opportunity to set foot in the central plains. To allay his yearning, each time he conversed with He Xi, they would use the central plains language. The crowd of believers could also understand some of the central plains language. Now that He Xi had returned this time from the central plains, he definitely wanted to inquire over what had happened there. He longed for the central plains, and thus, gave strict orders to the followers and revised their teachings, all to restore good relations with the central plains. These past few years had proven fruitful: Xiyu and the areas around Longxi had opened more channels for trade, and followers could go to those areas, as well. As long as they did not stir up trouble, they would not meet with the detestation of the locals.


    He Xi handed over the Moon Blade as she elaborated on the ¡®mishap¡¯ that had occurred while stealing it.


    ¡­


    ¡°Shifu.¡± He Xi felt her conscience twinge. She knew that to maintain the relationship between the Manichaens and the central plains, Ge Lan had exhausted his efforts, but she had practically ruined it.


    ¡°It¡¯s no matter. You retrieved the Moon Blade, the leader¡¯s cherished wish of many years. The leader will be sure to commend you, so it can be counted as offsetting the bad with the good. It¡¯s just a matter of secluding another few years.¡± Ge Lan patted He Xi¡¯s shoulder, not letting He Xi place too much of the blame on herself, ¡°You¡¯ve been away for a while, you must be tired. Go get some rest, we can discuss what remains later.¡±


    He Xi saluted again then withdrew.


    ¡°The saintess has returned?¡±


    As soon as He Xi left, she ran into the Left Envoy, Zhu Li, who had come previously to discuss important matters with Ge Lan. Zhu Li was of similar age to Ge Lan and was a genuine man of Xiyu, with deep-set eyes and a frightening scar from a bladed weapon on his forehead.


    ¡°My Lord Left Envoy.¡± He Xi greeted with faultless courtesy.


    ¡°Mm, you went to the central plains. Did those people make things difficult for you?¡±


    He Xi shook her head. Before the mishap occurred, each person from the central plains they had encountered had been perfectly amicable, even warm-hearted.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be deceived by those central plains people. They are rotten down to their bones. They must be absolved by our sacred teachings, and only then will they understand gratitude.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡± He Xi disapproved.


    Seeing He Xi¡¯s uncommunicative appearance, Zhu Li did not continue to speak with her and returned after he dismissed her.


    He Xi was indeed desiring rest; the journey had been too exhausting.


    ¡­


    ¡°Excuse me, boatman. Is this the sea?¡± Yun He and Jiang Ling had asked for directions and come to Mingzhou¡¯s seaside, but the sea¡¯s water was truly too muddy, wildly different from the clear blue written of in books.


    The boatman straightened the straw hat on his head and said: ¡°Yeah, this is the sea.¡±


    ¡°But the books say that the sea is blue, how could it be muddier than the Yellow River.¡± Jiang Ling was doubtful.


    ¡°The little lady has come from out of town, then. The sea is blue, you both ah, keep walking ahead, there¡¯s a large vessel over there. Find it and sail eastward, pass that Putuo Mountain, then keep going east and you might be able to see the blue sea. An old man like me has not gone that far before, it¡¯s all what I¡¯ve heard from others.¡± The boatman explained, then waved a hand, ¡°You won¡¯t see it here ah.¡±


    Hearing the boatman¡¯s words, both of their interests waned.


    Jiang Ling sat on the shore in the sea breeze, gazing at the flocks of seabirds and feeling crestfallen, ¡°Even the sea plays tricks on us.¡±


    Yun He stood to one side, wordless and silent.


    The two of them strolled around nearby, then set off for Minghe Mountain.


    During this trip down the mountain, Jiang Ling had come to deeply understand the expression ¡®in life, nine things out of ten do not go as intended.¡¯[3]. She could use the terrible things that had occurred within the past few months to describe it; even in that muddy sea floated the notion ¡®not as intended.¡¯ The sole exception was the internal force, which had surfaced at some unknown time, that gave Jiang Ling some solace.


    ¡­


    When Jiang Ling and Yun He returned to Minghe Mountain, Yun Yang had not yet come back. Because things were weighing on Yun He¡¯s mind, she sent a messenger pigeon to Yun Yang.


    Yun Yang soon returned after receiving the message. The three of them, master and disciples, erected a cenotaph for Gu Yun.


    One night.


    ¡°You are saying that A Ling recovered her internal force.¡± Yun Yang¡¯s brows knitted together. This was no small matter, ¡°What is different about her?¡±


    ¡°Nothing.¡± Yun He carefully recalled recent events. Was not her internal force returning a good thing? Wherefore was shifu so anxious?


    Yun He suddenly thought of something, ¡°The day before A Yun was entombed, she seemed to have lost her reason and wanted to cut off her right hand.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Yun He pondered again, then said: ¡°She said before that she had made a friend. That person gave her a bracelet. It appears that the person who gave her the bracelet had something to do with A Yun¡¯s death, so that is why she acted thus.¡±


    ¡°This master understands. You should go get some rest.¡±


    ¡°Yes, shifu.¡± Yun He stood and returned to her room.


    The next day, Yun Yang called over Jiang Ling to discuss some matters with her.


    ¡°Your shijie said that your internal force was recovered. Why did you not tell this master?¡±


    ¡°This matter is not something that deserves to be rejoiced. It came too late. If it had come earlier, shixiong would not have died.¡±


    ¡°How is it when you practice martial arts?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a little uncomfortable in my chest and makes me a little agitated.¡± Jiang Ling spoke truthfully.


    ¡°It seems like your first time using internal force. Your body cannot accept it.¡± Yun Yang concluded, ¡°After today, accompany this master through a heart calming exercise each day. This master will teach you how to control your breath.¡±[4]


    From then on, under Yun Yang¡¯s instruction, Jiang Ling slowly practiced the internal martial arts. Yun Yang specifically articulated to Jiang Ling that this chance, while fortuitously appearing later along her journey, would make her chest hurt, and no matter if she conducted heart calming exercises each day, there would be some harm to her body. She should use as little internal force as possible, or none at all.


    Three years passed like this on the mountain.


    Within these three years, Jiang Ling would practice her martial arts and breath control every day. The pain within her chest eased and would only bother her occasionally. She was used to her life from before, so she did not often use her internal force and did not take it to heart. Aside from going with her shifu to the Qingshan Sect once upon the ascension[5] of Lu Yi-zhenren, Jiang Ling did not descend the mountain for these three years. Jiang Ling¡¯s internal force made small, gradual improvements, and eventually she received Yun Yang¡¯s permission to travel down the mountain.


    On this day, she had at last begged shifu to go down the mountain and immediately descended to the little town to stroll around.


    The little town had always been nondescript; the population was neither small nor large, and it did not have the prosperous atmosphere of Yuzhou or Jiangdu Town nor their precious crafts and treasures, but the little town had just about everything it needed.


    Jiang Ling wandered the streets, bored out of her mind.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that Sister Jiang Ling? Sister Jiang Ling!¡± A youth standing watch over a vegetable stand waved Jiang Ling over enthusiastically; it was the little tiger cub of the village. In these past few years, he had grown quite a bit and now had the appearance of an adolescent.


    Jiang Ling walked over and greeted him, ¡°Are you helping Aunt Zhang sell some vegetables?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. The recent harvest was good, so mother told me to come into town to sell some. Look, these are all freshly picked.¡± The youth dedicated himself to peddling his family¡¯s crops. Jiang Ling picked some up and looked them up and down carefully. Sure enough, they were fresh. She had the youth bundle some vegetables.


    ¡°What has Sister Jiang Ling been busy with? We haven¡¯t seen you for the past few years?¡± The youth spoke as he wrapped the vegetables.


    ¡°Busy practicing martial arts.¡±


    The youth finished bundling up the vegetables and found that Jiang Ling had come by herself. Before, she would always come down the mountain with Gu Yun, ¡°And Brother Gu Yun? Why did he not come with you?¡± The youth knew nothing of what had happened and he was asking without other intentions, but his question prodded Jiang Ling¡¯s sore spot.


    Jiang Ling made an effort to adjust her emotions so the youth would not see that her state of mind had changed, ¡°He ah, he went back home. Do you know who he is?¡±


    ¡°Who?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s the young master of a wealthy family in Jiangnan. He came here to gain some experience, and he went home to get married.¡±


    The youth¡¯s eyes widened into saucers, ¡°Really? He told me he would be my shifu.¡±


    ¡°Really, you shouldn¡¯t miss him. He¡¯s living in ease and comfort and doesn¡¯t remember us.¡± Jiang Ling reached out to grab the vegetables from the youth then bid him goodbye.


    After so many years, to hear someone mention Gu Yun reopened the freshly healed wound once more, the feeling acutely painful. Jiang Ling found a tea stall and sat down to calm her mind.


    This tea stall was not quiet, either.


    ¡°I heard that last month, A Dong from the neighboring town went to Xiyu for business, and when he came back, he died from some foul disease?¡± A big-bellied, middle-aged man sat to one side and told his friends of the happenings in other parts of the country.


    Jiang Ling¡¯s ears perked up when she heard the name ¡®Xiyu.¡¯


    ¡°That¡¯s right, recently, the ones who return from Xiyu, if they don¡¯t get sick over there, they get sick when they come back. But, they just have a fever for a few days and are fine after a bit of medicine. Something like A Dong¡¯s case is the first.¡± An aunt who was about fifty years of age said.


    A neighboring table also grew interested. The lean young man with a thin beard in the middle said: ¡°You all may be unaware. These were the ones who came back, but I heard that there are some people who go and never return.¡±


    The big-bellied man seemed doubtful: ¡°Does this brother know who did not return?¡±


    ¡°Does this have any relation to the Manichaens?¡± Jiang Ling also added in.


    ¡°This¡­This is only something I¡¯ve heard.¡± The lean young man had only heard rumors. He would not know of matters relating to the Manichaens personally.


    The crowd cut the conversation off and started to discuss other things.


    ¡°Manichaeism.¡± Jiang Ling murmured, twisting the cup in her hand.


    On the way back, the little tiger cub was waiting for her, holding his basket of vegetables.


    ¡°Why have you not gone home?¡±


    ¡°Sister Jiang Ling, I have something to request of you.¡± The young man showed signs of reluctance, afraid to make difficulties for Jiang LIng.


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°I have a cousin. Last year, he went with some others to Xiyu to do some business, and he still has not come back. Before, he would send letters to us, but half a year ago, we stopped receiving them. Uncle has asked many people to look for him, but no one has.¡± The youth started to cry as he continued to speak, ¡°I thought of you all who travel Jianghu. You have more ways than us, so maybe you could help me.¡±


    ¡°This¡­¡± People may have really been disappearing in Xiyu, but while Jiang Ling was willing to help, she was unable to do so. She could only count as half a wanderer of Jianghu.


    ¡°I¡¯m begging you.¡± The youth¡¯s eyes shone with tears. ¡°Auntie has ruined her eyes from crying.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡± Looking at the youth¡¯s appearance, Jiang Ling could not bring herself to refuse. Her aged shifu was experienced and knowledgeable, so who could say if he could find out from someone. Moreover, she had heard the news from the people at the tea stall, so she already had the idea to go to Xiyu in her mind.

 CH 17

    Chapter 17: Distant Travels


    GenZany12022-05-02Baihe


    ¡°I will have some people inquire about the little tiger cub¡¯s cousin. As for the rest, you need not think about it.¡± When Yun Yang heard Jiang Ling¡¯s idea, he immediately turned it down.


    ¡°Why not? If it really is the Manichaens¡¯ doing, we can warn everyone not to go to that bothersome Xiyu for business!¡±


    ¡°Do not think this master does not know what you are thinking. You are clearly thinking to take your revenge.¡± Yun Yang hit the mark.


    ¡°So what if I am. Can we not take our revenge each day those evil thieves hide beyond the pass?¡± Jiang Ling straightened her neck and faced Yun Yang.


    ¡°Revenge? You know of Xiyu, but the reality is one hundredfold, ten thousandfold more adverse than you have read of in books. When the time comes, before you can get your revenge, it will be your life that is lost. Na?ve!¡± This was the first time Yun Yang had used such harsh words and flinty looks.


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Go back. There is no need to think of these matters again.¡±


    Jiang Ling was ordered back to her room by Yun Yang.


    ¡°Shifu is so unreasonable.¡± Jiang Ling sat on her bed and grumbled.


    ¡°Shifu doesn¡¯t want anything to happen to us again.¡± Yun He said.


    ¡°I understand.¡± Jiang Ling rolled herself up in her bedding. She understood, but once the idea to go investigate appeared, like bamboo shoots after a spring rain, she could not stop its sprouting.


    At the first glimmer of dawn the next day, Yun He rapped on Yun Yang¡¯s door.


    ¡°Shifu! A Ling left!¡±


    When Yun Yang heard her words, he immediately got up.


    ¡°Shifu, I will come back, please don¡¯t worry.¡± Jiang Ling had left a note behind on her desk.


    ¡°Reckless!¡± Yun Yang and Yun He went down the mountain directly to bring her back, but with Jiang Ling¡¯s skills , if she wanted to run, no one could stop her.


    ¡°Shifu, let¡¯s go to Longxi. Jiang Ling knows Shangguan Qing of the Longxi Yueluo Sect. She is unfamiliar with the area, so she will definitely go see her.¡± Yun He said.


    ¡°We will set out forthwith.¡±


    ¡­


    Jiang Ling descended the mountain and walked quite the distance to another comparatively large town. There she exchanged the belt given to her by Yun Yang and looked for an escort company.


    ¡°What do you want to send, miss?¡± The head escort was a big, stalwart man of about thirty years of age with a square face. He was stripped to the waist, displaying half of his well-muscled body. This was their biggest form of advertisement.


    ¡°Da-ge, is there an escort going to Longxi?¡±


    ¡°Coincidentally, there¡¯s a group heading out today once they finished packing. Miss, what item do you want to send?¡±


    ¡°May I join your escort group?¡± Jiang Ling was not familiar with the path to Longxi, but this escort company definitely did, ¡°I don¡¯t want any compensation, only some food to eat on the road.¡±


    The head escort seemed like he had heard something enormously shocking and opened his mouth wide to say, ¡°Miss, for someone skinny like you, it¡¯ll be us protecting you.¡±


    ¡°If da-ge doesn¡¯t believe me, you can test me.¡± Jiang Ling did not play coy. She stretched her arm out and assumed a fighting stance.


    ¡°Interesting. If you beat me, you¡¯ll be a member of the Yunping Escort Company from today onward.¡± The head escort was likewise a bold person and immediately answered Jiang Ling¡¯s challenge.


    The two of them signaled the beginning of the match. At that moment, the head escort¡¯s other brothers came to see what the bustle was about. As the match began to grow even more lively, people even placed bets on who would win or lose.


    The head escort¡¯s eyebrows rose and his fists tightened. His fist rushed toward Jiang Ling, bringing with it a strong gust of wind.


    Jiang Ling turned sideways slightly, skillfully blocking with both palms and deflecting the head escort¡¯s fist. She dropped under and advanced to the back of the head escort, twisting her hand to chop down on his shoulder. In an instant, the match was concluded.


    ¡°Outstanding moves.¡± The head escort readily acknowledged his defeat. If that palm strike had fallen on any other spot, he would have been knocked out then and there.


    The crowd called out a series of ¡®good fight!¡¯s.


    ¡°I will honor my word. You will join our escort today, and when we reach Longxi, you shall be with us. Miss, if you don¡¯t mind, from this day onward, you will be my, Wang Tianqi¡¯s, younger sister.¡± Wang Tianqi said with a heroic air.


    ¡°Thank you, Wang-dage.¡±


    Wang Tianqi looked coarse, but his manner was fine. He knew that Jiang Ling was a lady, and it was not suitable for her to be in a group of men. This time he arranged for some female escorts to join, too, so they could support each other on the way.


    The journey may have presented a threat, but was not truly dangerous. Although they encountered some mountain bandits, each of the escort brothers were skilled and strong, and with Jiang Ling¡¯s martial arts, every time they met with a foe, Jiang Ling would take down the leader. Indeed, this trip was much easier than previous ones.


    Wang Tianqi seemed like he had picked up a treasure. Many times, he wanted to persuade Jiang Ling to genuinely join their Yunping Escort Company. Jiang Ling declined apologetically and said that if she was available when she finished her business, she would come and help out.


    The escort group arrived at the Guanzhong Plain. The scenery was already completely different from the central plains; rather than the forests and countryside as far as the eye can see, it was more a bare landscape of yellow dirt. The wind started to pick up sand and the sun bore down on one¡¯s body; no wonder Shen Xiuqi and others were so tanned. While Shangguan Qing had taken care of her skin and was not so tan, her skin was not as fair as women of the central plains or Jiangnan.


    Wang Tianqi was riding his horse as Jiang Ling sat on the escort carriage, speaking about Longxi and their current location. There were some sparse trees, and the local farmers could grow grains, at the very least. Once they passed further west of Zhangye, there would not be any people at all. The land beyond the Yumen Pass was Xiyu, where yellow sands stretched as far as the eye could see; a place that could truly be called desolate.


    ¡°How do people live in Xiyu?¡±


    ¡°Oases. Have you heard of them?¡± Wang Tianqi asked.


    Jiang Ling replied, ¡°I¡¯ve heard of them,¡± in books, anyway.


    ¡°Those oases are deep in the desert, like islets in the sea. The Xiyu people live on those fragmentary islets.¡±


    ¡°So the Xiyu people have no alternative but to go to the area within the Pass, or even to the central plains?¡±


    ¡°Exactly.¡± Wang Tianqi continued, ¡°In recent years, there has been a period of frequent trade between Xiyu and the central plains. You may know of the gemstones of Xiyu, each and every one as big as your fist!¡±


    Jiang Ling did not continue her questions. She thought of the sizable gemstone worn by He Xi. The one on her forehead had already been crushed by Jiang Ling. Her subordinates had been wearing quite a few, as well.


    Another few days passed. Some people had already entered Longxi City, and Jiang Ling bid Wang Tianqi farewell.


    Wang Tianqi was still reluctant to part with her and gave her a bag of silver, which, when compared to the remuneration, could have only been greater. He also entreated Jiang Ling to not go further west, having heard that some people in trade caravans that traveled there had fallen ill. While the sickness was not severe, and people would recover within a few days, lest it be a febrile disease, it was better to not go. Once she finished her business and she wanted to return, she could find the division of their escort company in Longxi.


    ¡­


    After she separated from Wang Tianqi, Jiang Ling wanted to go find Shangguan Qing. She considered whether shifu and shijie would also come to find her, so she bought herself a horse, some rations, and enough water, asked for directions, and at long last, arrived at Zhangye.


    Zhangye was a trade town, with people coming and going. Owing to the fact that it was located on the border, the climate in Zhangye was terrible, and houses were built with layers of stacked stones. While simple and crude, teahouses, restaurants, and inns were plentiful, and many caravans walked to and fro. There were also far more Xiyu people than other areas within the Pass. Most of the Xiyu people were tall and large statured, with deep brows and prominent nose bridges. Some had their faces covered with cloth.


    All kinds of camels and horses were tied by the side of the road, the scene extraordinarily bustling.


    Jiang Ling also discovered that the town¡¯s herbal medicine shops were quite busy. So it was true that there was some strange disease; she needed to be cautious.


    She led her horse as she searched for an inn. Just as she was conversing with an innkeeper, a palm suddenly patted Jiang Ling¡¯s shoulder. Jiang Ling vigilantly raised her sword, ready to take action, but all she saw was Shangguan Qing standing in front of her, smiling.


    ¡°A Qing!¡± Jiang Ling had never thought that she would run into Shangguan Qing here.


    ¡°A Ling, so it is you! I thought it must be you I saw on the road just now!¡± Shangguan Qing had likewise never thought that she would run into Jiang Ling here. She had parted with her three years prior and had never communicated with her; it was not that she did not want to contact her, but she had left so suddenly that she did not know how to reach her, so they had been separated.


    The two had reunited after a long parting and could not hold themselves back from hugging each other.


    ¡°Innkeeper, this lady¡¯s room is on me.¡± Shangguan Qing said with bold generosity, then brought Jiang Ling to her own room. As it turns out, Shangguan Qing was staying here, too.


    The inn¡¯s fixings were quite simple and neat: one bed, one table, and two chairs.


    ¡°A Ling, how have you been these last three years? Why did you come here?¡± Shangguan Qing had heard of Gu Yun¡¯s death and Jiang Ling¡¯s coma at the time and had cried tears of sadness. When she had no choice but to return, Jiang Ling had not yet woken up. Later, she had heard that Jiang Ling was well, and she could feel relieved.


    Jiang Ling¡¯s eyes grew misty.


    Shangguan Qing hurriedly apologized, ¡°I was wrong, I should not have made you remember your painful memories.¡±


    Jiang Ling wiped her tears away: ¡°It¡¯s no matter, these things need to be said. That day, the evil Manichaen thieves knocked the elder of the Hall of Swords out with a blow and stole the blade. They did not expect to be discovered by Gu Shi-shixiong and got entangled in a fight. When I went out for a break, I noticed them, and then my shixiong came looking for me. You know what happened afterward.¡±


    ¡°So, you came this time for revenge?¡±


    Jiang Ling nodded, then shook her head. She had not expected that ¡®Xiyu,¡¯ this humble name, would in reality be a land far larger than any she had seen. Since she had entered Zhangye, she knew that finding someone in that boundless, sandy sea was akin to fishing for a needle in the vast ocean. Since she had already come, she would check things out to get a clear understanding. Who could say if she may gain some unforeseen results.


    ¡°Not entirely. And you?¡±


    ¡°You probably know that people in trade caravans have been getting infected with a strange disease.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I know.¡±


    ¡°Our Yueluo Sect has also had people fall ill when they go beyond the Pass for business, with a fever that leaves them muddled. Originally, we thought it was an ordinary illness, but after inquiring, we found that many people had gotten it. Shifu had my shixiong and I come to investigate what the illness actually is. If it¡¯s a febrile disease, then it is no small matter.¡± Shangguan Qing explained why they were here.


    Jiang Ling was pleasantly surprised to find that they had the same goal. It was better than muddling along in her investigation alone.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect that you were here to check on this as well. I have some other things to check, too. Down the mountain, a young man¡¯s cousin came this way for business, but he has not come back in a year, and there has been no news that he is well. He asked me to help him search.¡±


    As soon as she heard that she had come looking for someone, Shangguan Qing¡¯s expression shifted. She drew near Jiang Ling and said in a low voice: ¡°This is another one of our reasons for journeying here. People have also asked our Yueluo Sect about missing loved ones, hoping that we could use our influence in the region to help find them. This inexplicable case of missing people is definitely a big problem. While there are always fearless people who brave the vast desert, most of the missing people are from trade caravans. People say that they get sick on the road and stay over there for treatment. Whether they were cured or not is unknown, but they disappear. Because there are not many people like this, there has not been much stir about the situation. Who could say if it might have some relation to the Manichaens.¡±


    Jiang Ling was also surprised. The situation here was indeed dire.


    Shangguan Qing took over the matter regarding the little tiger cub¡¯s cousin. She was investigating, anyhow, and Jiang Ling¡¯s matters were likewise incidental.


    ¡­


    The server came over to inform Jiang Ling that her room was ready. Just as Shangguan Qing and Jiang Ling were going to return to their respective rooms, they saw Shen Xiuqi come in with some of his shidi and shimei.


    When Shen Xiuqi saw Jiang Ling, his heart lit up, and he walked over to look.


    ¡°Stop looking, A Ling came by herself.¡± Shangguan Qing rolled her eyes at Shen Xiuqi.


    Shen Xiuqi and Jiang Ling exchanged greetings then returned to their own rooms.


    ¡°Your shixiong?¡±


    ¡°These past few years, he¡¯s been training diligently so he may defeat your shijie one day. This time, I fear he may have been disappointed that you came alone.¡±


    ¡°Truly a fool for martial arts[1].¡± Jiang Ling laughed. If otherwise, then she thought that Shen Xiuqi must have other intentions toward her shijie.

 CH 18

    Jiang Ling rested for a night at the inn. The next morning, Shangguan Qing knocked on her door.


    ¡°Here, change into these.¡± Shangguan Qing carried a set of clothing and placed it on the table.


    ¡°What is this?¡± Jiang Ling did not know Shangguan Qing¡¯s intent.


    ¡°We¡¯ve already investigated this area, but didn¡¯t find any suspicious points. We decided to head further west to check it out.¡± Shangguan Qing sat down beside the table and took a sip of tea, ¡°We¡¯re going to dress up as a trade caravan and take a look at a few markets between the Yumen Pass and Xiyu. From what we know now, the majority of trade caravans that only make it so far as Zhangye haven¡¯t heard anything of people falling ill, but those who return from outside of the Pass have more or less had someone fall ill. People who receive treatment in time are also not contagious.¡±


    Jiang Ling shook out the clothing; it was a man¡¯s dark brown robe. Jiang Ling¡¯s expression turned odd.


    Shangguan Qing did not pay attention to her and continued: ¡°If it is a febrile disease, I¡¯m afraid that we¡¯ll need to stop people coming from Xiyu. If it isn¡¯t a febrile disease, and if it¡¯s an intentional act of provocation by the Manichaens, then that¡¯s a different kind of situation.¡±


    Shangguan Qing grabbed the robes and said, ¡°I picked one out specifically for your measurements. We¡¯ll dress as men when we go out to make the journey more convenient.¡±


    Jiang Ling, after all, had limited experience in Jianghu. This time she would learn much with Shangguan Qing.


    Jiang Ling changed her clothing. She removed her loose ponytail, combed her hair carefully, then secured her hair back on top of her head with a wooden hair stick. Shangguan Qing saw that Jiang Ling had put on the clothing and had come to her room, and her eyes lit up, ¡°I never expected that when A Ling dressed as a man, while you may look a bit skinny, you may well be called a man of striking appearance.¡±


    This was the first time Jiang Ling had worn men¡¯s clothing. Because of Shangguan Qing¡¯s exaggerated praise, Jiang Ling¡¯s cheeks heated up a little.


    ¡°If you were a man, marrying you would be good. None of these Longxi men are pretty and charming. They¡¯re all big and stalwart, not as fair as you are.¡±


    Jiang Ling¡¯s face went pale with fright from Shangguan Qing¡¯s off-the-mark words, ¡°Th-that¡¯s impossible.¡±


    ¡°I was just making a joke and you¡¯re that scared? Do you have someone you like?¡± Shangguan Qing looked at Jiang Ling wickedly.


    ¡°No.¡± Jiang Ling denied, ¡°I was just startled.¡± She had grown up on the mountain, and she had never contemplated these things.


    Shangguan Qing stopped teasing Jiang Ling. She pulled a length of red silk out of her bundle and put it on Jiang Ling, ¡°The sandy winds beyond the Pass are even more severe than here. Once we get there, use this as a face covering.¡±


    As she spoke, she wrapped the scarf to cover most of Jiang Ling¡¯s face, revealing a pair of bright, fawn-like eyes. Shangguan Qing was very satisfied.


    ¡­


    The travelers dressed as a trade caravan. They prepared sufficient supplies and even invited an old man from Xiyu to act as their guide, who would bring the ¡®trade caravan¡¯ to Xiyu to purchase precious gemstones. Shen Xiuqi was the first brother, Shangguan Qing the second, and Jiang Ling the third and youngest brother.


    The group went through the Yumen Pass, and what entered their eyes was vast stretches of yellow sand as far as the eye could see. The guide used some rough central plains language to speak as they went northwest for one day. They would use special stop points for trade caravans, which had water supplies.


    And so, the group ventured through the vast desert to seek their objective. The sun was, as expected, far more blistering than even the hottest day on Minghe Mountain. The wind whipped sand into their faces, stinging Jiang Ling¡¯s eyes.


    The disciples of the Yueluo Sect experienced these kinds of weather conditions continuously throughout the year and had grown up with them, so they were long accustomed. Jiang Ling was truly out of sorts, but she was not some delicate person. Since she had decided to go with Shangguan Qing to investigate the febrile disease, she would not cower now. She fiercely resisted these difficulties.


    As the sun sank below the sand dunes, the group finally arrived at the stop point the guide had mentioned. It was a tiny oasis, only large enough for a few people to support a few well-keepers, who were guarding the water source. As the traveling trade caravans passed by, these well-keepers would give them water for a substantial fee.


    The sky had already grown dark, and the temperature dropped. The group made a campfire to warm themselves.


    Shen Xiuqi again asked the guide about the particulars of Xiyu. The guide said that, starting from this stop point, if one walked further west without any diversion, then in three days, one would arrive at a small town of Xiyu. Many trade caravans would take this route so they could purchase precious gems. The guide chattered endlessly about inanities like which gemstones were better than the others and which ones were not worth the cost. The guide believed that they were an actual trade caravan looking to purchase gems as part of a business enterprise.


    ¡°A Ling, how do you feel? Have you gotten used to everything?¡± Shangguan Qing thought that Jiang Ling did not look too well.


    ¡°Mm, I¡¯m fine. It¡¯s my first time coming to a place like this, so I¡¯m just not acclimated yet.¡± Shifu¡¯s words had indeed been correct. Xiyu¡¯s environment was truly adverse; the vicious sun seemed to want to melt people on the spot. The sand-laden wind made everyone eat a mouthful of sand as they went.


    ¡°Here.¡± Shangguan Qing handed Jiang Ling a slice of ginseng, ¡°Place it in your mouth and you¡¯ll feel much better. I was doing this before, too.¡±


    Jiang Ling put the ginseng in her mouth, and sure enough, after some time had passed by, she felt much better. This friend of hers, Shangguan Qing, took care of her meticulously.


    Jiang Ling was truly too tired. She wrapped herself in a woolen blanket and went to sleep.


    The night deepened. The campfire crackled as everyone lay on their sides sleeping peacefully, with only two disciples to keep watch as they clutched their swords. The oasis was utterly tranquil.


    Jiang Ling was awoken by a gust of frigid wind. She blinked and looked toward the sky. The moon was resting on high. She stood up and walked a few paces away to shake herself out a little.


    Nighttime in the desert was frighteningly cold. Without the warmth of a fire, Jiang Ling thought she might freeze to death here. She rubbed her hands together. The curtain of night shrouded the sandy desert, with no signs of vitality.


    All was still, forebodingly so. Jiang Ling felt an aversion to the cold; it had been still that night, as well.


    Jiang Ling gathered her spiritual consciousness and looked around. Everything was quiet, but she sensed a growing oppressiveness drawing closer, one that kept warning her of danger!


    She sprinted over to Shangguan Qing and Shen Xiuqi and woke them to make them increase their vigilance.


    Shangguan Qing rubbed her eyes and looked up, ¡°A Ling, where¡¯s the danger, there¡¯s no one here but us.¡±


    Shen Xiuqi did not say anything. He raised his sword and walked over to a few shidi and woke them, raising their guards.


    Upon seeing this, Shangguan Qing likewise raised her red-tasseled spear.


    That oppressive sensation drew closer and closer until even Shangguan Qing felt it. They all held their breaths tensely.


    ¡°Who goes there? If you are a friend, please show yourself immediately!¡± Shen Xiuqi called out firmly, the powerful shout reverberating through the desert.


    Their surroundings remained still and quiet, and that oppressive feeling also seemed to disappear. The group looked at each other and waited a bit longer to be sure there was no danger. They finally released a sigh of relief and put down their weapons, preparing to rest some more.


    Jiang Ling still felt that there was something wrong, so she continued to stare closely out into the desert.


    Suddenly, the flat stretch of sand rippled.


    ¡°The ground!¡± Jiang Ling yelled. The others had not yet reacted when, from out of the sand, ten or so masked sand bandits leapt up, blades in hand and bows on their backs.


    ¡°Sand bandits!¡± The guide saw that they were sand bandits and jumped on his own horse and galloped away without a single backwards glance. The sand bandits knew that he was just a common guide, so they did not bother with him. Their big catch was the caravan¡¯s goods. The well-keepers did not so much as panic; they stood up silently and stood behind those sand bandits.


    So they were accomplices.


    Shen Xiuqi bit the inside of his cheek, his temper flaring as he raised his blade, wanting to cut down those thieving sand bandits. When he advanced, a net appeared beneath his feet. Just as he was going to be swallowed up, Shen Xiuqi moved the tip of his blade downward, slicing the net into several pieces, and escaped.


    The sand bandits had originally thought that they were an ordinary trade caravan with only a few people and wanted to simply rob them. They did not expect that each and every one of them would be so skilled in the martial arts.


    ¡°A Ling, wait on my horse. It knows the way and can take you back. You don¡¯t have internal force, so in a moment, look for an opportunity to flee.¡± Shangguan Qing knew of Jiang Ling¡¯s difficulties, and she had promised her before that should she encounter danger, she could protect her. So, she planned to give her own horse to Jiang Ling.


    ¡°No need, I¡¯m fine now. This group of sand bandits should not be a problem.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Shangguan Qing was pleasantly surprised.


    The sand bandits took advantage of the opening their conversation presented. They notched arrows in their bows and released, the arrows falling onto the group like rain. Their archery skills were superb, with their arrows never failing to meet their targets. Arrow after arrow flew toward their chests.


    Jiang Ling was sharp-eyed. She brandished Qian Shui in one hand and stopped the arrows shot at her one after the other, but some disciples were still wounded and slumped to the ground.


    Shangguan Qing saw her shidi fall to the ground and her brow creased. She dug the tip of her red-tasseled spear into the sand, and with some force, flung the net out of the sand onto a sand bandit. That sand bandit raised their weapon and split the net, but just as they did so, Shangguan Qing had already brought her spear down on the sand bandit¡¯s head, hurling them two zhang[1] away, where they did not rise.


    Jiang Ling had disarmed the two sand bandits beside her and smacked them with the flat side of her blade, making them spit out a mouthful of blood and retreat two steps.


    Shen Xiuqi, who was even more skilled and strong, wielded his sword, the air churning with the movement of his blade as he sliced the sand bandit leader¡¯s weapon in two. The sand bandit leader was forced back a few steps.


    The other disciples who were not injured also put up a resistance. The sand bandits were pushed back and gathered together in one area. Jiang Ling raised her sword and went to advance, intending to force the bandits to retreat in the face of their overwhelming difficulties.


    From beneath the mask, where Jiang Ling could not see, the bandit¡¯s lips curved slightly upward, a biting chill in their eyes.


    Suddenly, she saw the sand bandit leader wave their hand, and a bolt of lightning flashed. As soon as that lightning bolt struck the ground, the entire area around them exploded. Layer upon layer of sand burst into the air, forcing the group to squeeze their eyes shut.


    ¡°A Qing, don¡¯t move around!¡± Just as she heard Shen Xiuqi¡¯s shout, Shangguan Qing felt another lightning bolt strike not too far from her, and the shaking of the ground made everyone stumble back a few steps. Jiang Ling had just landed when all of the hairs on her body shot up, and she felt a chill run down her back. She subconsciously leapt forward; a lightning bolt exploded behind her. Jiang Ling¡¯s back was scorched, and she was thrown forward several zhang from the blast. As the lightning bolts rained down, Jiang Ling¡¯s ears kept ringing; she could not hear what was happening in the surrounding area clearly. She wanted to stand up, but she felt like a thousand jin[2] weight was pressing down onto her back, making her unable to move. Her consciousness gradually started to drift away, and she sank into a deep, unconscious state.

 CH 19

    The sun gradually rose above the horizon, and the desert regained its scorching heat.


    ¡°A Ling.¡± Shangguan Qing saw Jiang Ling¡¯s eyelids twitch, like she was about to wake up, and called to her softly.


    A Qing. Jiang Ling heard Shangguan Qing¡¯s light call and struggled to wake up.


    Jiang Ling found herself laying flat on a woolen blanket, her chest covered in gauze and her body draped with clothing. The area around her was concealed beneath a crude tent, shielding her from the harsh sunlight as a gentle glow filtered through the cloth.


    She went to prop herself up with both arms, but her back cried out with a burning pain, hurting her so much that she laid back down again.


    ¡°Don¡¯t move. Your back was burned from the lightning. When you were asleep just now, my shimei helped bandage it for you.¡± Shangguan Qing said.


    ¡°Where are we?¡± Jiang Ling tilted her head, but could only see Shangguan Qing sitting cross-legged beside her with her left arm in a sling; she was injured as well.


    ¡°We¡¯re still at the little oasis. The surrounding area was scorched by the lightning those hateful sand bandits brought down. Anyone who moved would be blown up. I can¡¯t believe we were fooled by them! My shixiong is fine, but many of our shidi and shimei were injured. You were struck by the lighting and your wound isn¡¯t light, but it shouldn¡¯t leave a scar once it heals.¡± The wound on Jiang Ling¡¯s back was not small. Shangguan Qing frowned. She did not want Jiang Ling to be scarred. As soon as they returned, she would find the best medicine for her.


    ¡°What about you? How is your arm?¡± Jiang Ling was concerned about Shangguan Qing¡¯s injuries.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing. In the chaos, the sand bandits took advantage of my impaired visibility and slashed my left hand, but don¡¯t you worry, they didn¡¯t damage any of my meridians[1]. I¡¯ll be fine after a few days, and my shixiong is helping me get revenge.¡±


    Just then, a person¡¯s shadow appeared outside the tent.


    ¡°Shimei, may I come in?¡± It was Shen Xiuqi.


    Shangguan glanced at Jiang Ling. The clothing on Jiang Ling¡¯s body was simply draped over her back and the bandages on her shoulder were exposed to the air. She reached out and pulled a blanket over Jiang Ling to cover her.


    ¡°Come in.¡± Shangguan Qing called.


    Shen Xiuqi entered the tent. When he saw that Jiang Ling was awake, he breathed out a sigh of relief.


    ¡°How was it?¡± Shangguan Qing asked.


    ¡°The goods were stolen, but the silver liangs[2] on us are fine. Some of the rations were stolen, but we were very fortunate that the horses were scared away by the lightning, so the sand bandits could not steal them. At present, they are all accounted for.¡±


    ¡°Then, what¡¯s our plan now?¡± Jiang Ling asked. This was the most Jiang Ling had heard Shen Xiuqi speak.


    Shen Xiuqi continued: ¡°The guide fled, but he had already clearly shown us the route. We need another three days before we make it to Xiyu. There may be a few more stop points on the way, but you both are injured and the environment too damaging, so it isn¡¯t appropriate to travel further into the desert. If we continue from here, the rations may not be enough. It is only a day¡¯s journey to return, so there should be some rations left.¡±


    Jiang Ling and Shangguan Qing both nodded, agreeing with Shen Xiuqi¡¯s analysis.


    ¡°We are not actually engaging in trade on this journey, so the loss of the goods is a small matter. When the time comes, you and the others who are injured will take two days of rations and rest here for one day. Then, once you feel more rested, you can return to Zhangye. The head of the sand bandits has already been dealt with, and the remaining bandits will not return so soon after this recent plunder. I will leave three shidi to protect you and continue forward with the uninjured disciples.¡±


    This was likewise Shangguan Qing¡¯s first time hearing Shen Xiuqi speak so many words, and her eyes rounded into saucers.


    ¡°It will be as Shen-shixiong says.¡± Jiang Ling knew that Shen Xiuqi¡¯s plan was the most optimal one. This way, they would not hold up their main task and the injured disciples could receive timely treatment. In her current condition, she would not be able to show off her skills again.


    ¡°Mm, you both rest first. I will arrange the rest myself.¡± Thus stated, Shen Xiuqi turned and left.


    Two people remained in the tent, both of their eyes wide.


    ¡°It¡¯s like your shixiong was switched out for someone else.¡± Jiang Ling was incredulous. This Shen Xiuqi was like an entirely different person.


    ¡°I think so, too.¡±


    Once Shen Xiuqi made his arrangements, he found Shangguan Qing and Jiang Ling and bid them farewell before taking a group of disciples to continue their journey deeper into the desert.


    Because of the burn on her back, Jiang Ling could only lay motionlessly. The other disciples all had different types of injuries and everyone took care of each other. In this little oasis, a day passed peacefully.


    Another central plains trade caravan passed through during that time frame. When they heard of the unfortunate encounter and saw that many people in their party were covered in wounds, they lent them generous aid and bought them another day of rest time.


    Shangguan Qing wanted to pay them back with silver, but the caravan¡¯s leader smiled and said: ¡°This little brother has good intentions, but recompense is unnecessary. Conducting business in this way brings good karma. If we run into troubles on the way back, we hope you will lend us a hand.¡±


    Shangguan Qing said: ¡°Even through storms of fire or water[3], without hesitation.¡±


    The group accepted the favor and rested for another day. Jiang Ling¡¯s burn had just about entirely scabbed over, and if she gritted her teeth and bore with the pain, then she could sit up. Shangguan Qing brought her a turquoise-colored robe, ¡°Your old robe is covered in blood and has a big hole ripped out of it, so I¡¯ve already thrown it away. Change into this new one.¡±


    ¡°Mm.¡± Jiang Ling gritted her teeth and changed into the new robe. During the past few days, Shangguan Qing had always been taking care of her, so she did not want to show her agony lest Shangguan Qing, who was also among the wounded, waste more energy on her.


    Jiang Ling stood up and moved about. As long as her movements were not too large and did not pull on her wound, she had no significant issues.


    The group decided to set off for Zhangye at dawn on the third day.


    ¡°Sss.¡± The movement to mount the horse was too large, which tore at her scab. Jiang Ling hissed softly from the stinging pain.


    ¡°Are you alright?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine. Let¡¯s set off ba.¡±


    They traveled for half a day and had already passed through the vast swaths of yellow sand to the Gobi desert. While some plants grew sparsely in the Gobi, the surroundings were still withered and dry, with no signs of life. The crushed stones on the ground were baked in the sun, the heat forming rippling patterns in the air.


    As they were traveling, the originally vicious sun was suddenly weakened. Jiang Ling raised her head to look. The sand filling the sky covered the sun in a sheer veil, rendering it indistinct.


    ¡°There¡¯s so much sand in the wind, enough to blot out the sun.¡± Jiang Ling, who had not lived in Xibei, did not realize the danger.


    ¡°A Ling, hold on. We need to ride back quickly, a sandstorm¡¯s coming.¡±


    A disciple from their group grumbled, ¡°Heavens above[4], why are you always making things difficult for us!¡±


    ¡°Stop complaining. Quickly, let¡¯s go back! Jia![5]¡± Shangguan Qing cracked her reins, spurring her horse forward as the others fell in behind her.


    Jiang Ling¡¯s horse followed behind. The sand in the air became more and more dense, to the point where she had no choice but to cover her face with the red silk to shield herself.


    Shangguan Qing turned her head back. In the distance, a massive wall of sand was already charging toward them and would soon overtake them. Shangguan Qing had to think of another plan. Nearby, she saw a boulder as tall as three men, ¡°Quickly, hide behind that boulder. Have the horses surround us.¡±


    The group directed their horses toward the boulder.


    ¡°A Ling, over there!¡± Shangguan Qing yelled to Jiang Ling.


    Jiang Ling nodded and spurred her horse over. At that moment, a fierce gale carrying a broken piece of stone struck Jiang Ling¡¯s horse on its head. The horse was frightened and stopped listening to Jiang Ling¡¯s commands, running off into the sandy wind in a panic.


    ¡°A Ling!¡± Shangguan Qing watched as Jiang Ling¡¯s horse had panicked and taken off into the wall of sand, disappearing without a trace.


    Jiang Ling¡¯s horse carried her further and further away.


    ¡°A Qing!¡± Jiang Ling was enveloped in a thick curtain of blowing sand and cried out with difficulty. The only response she received was the howling of the wind in her ear. With the whipping of the sand, she could only shut her eyes and hold on tightly to the horse¡¯s neck, leaning over to shield herself.


    With these successive, violent changes, Jiang Ling¡¯s already wounded back split open, fresh blood gradually dying the fabric crimson.


    After an unknown amount of time had passed, the horse slowly stilled, falling to the ground and struggling twice before it stopped moving at all. Jiang Ling was flung into the sand. She had no choice but to crawl behind the horse, curl herself up in a ball, and calmly wait for the sandstorm to pass.


    The sandstorm gradually started to lighten after about an incense stick¡¯s worth of time, and the sun started to viciously bake the ground once again. Jiang Ling staggered to her feet. Standing in the middle of this desert, gazing around at dunes after dunes, Jiang Ling felt a tide of despair wash over her heart. I have not accomplished anything on this journey, Jiang Ling confessed to the desert around her. She mocked herself, every word shifu said was true: I am na?ve.


    No, she could not give up like this. She would die here, in this barren place. She had to keep moving.


    She searched the horse¡¯s body and found that there were enough rations left for two days. There was also a woolen blanket in the saddle bag which she could use to cover herself at night. She guessed that it was about midafternoon[6]. There were no trees in the surrounding area. She raised her head to look at the position of the sun and reckoned that she was somewhat westward. The horse could not have run too far, so if she was not incorrect in her bearings, she could walk out of the desert into the Gobi in not too long. Once she was in the Gobi, she should be able to find the route without too much difficulty.


    She picked up her sword and used the blanket to bundle up the rations and water onto her back, then set off in the direction of which she was certain.


    It was just that, the conditions of the desert were unimaginably treacherous. Without a fire, it was immensely difficult to withstand the cold of the night. Jiang Ling bundled herself up in the blanket tightly, and using her internal force and breathing, was able to pass the first night.


    At the beginning of the second day, when the temperature was gradually increasing again but was not at its stifling peak yet, Jiang Ling continued her journey forward. After walking for another half a day, all that was within her sight was still yellow sand, without a sign of the Gobi. Jiang Ling started to doubt whether or not she had chosen the wrong direction. When she took the last drink of her water supply, she still had not left the desert. She was certain that she had picked the wrong direction at the outset and had walked deeper into the desert.


    The wound on her back was soaked in her sweat. It itched and ached. Being severely dehydrated, Jiang Ling¡¯s were pale. Her face was peeling from the blistering sunlight. The dune in front of her became two in her eyes. Jiang Ling herself did not know how much longer she could keep going. She could only keep walking forward, walking until she exhausted her strength and could not walk any longer.


    At last, she saw something green, something like an oasis, in the distance. Jiang Ling felt a joy in her heart and hurried toward the oasis, but the sand beneath her feet was soft. She sank into the dune, the scorching particles making her unable to open her eyes.


    Translator Notes:


    Our girl Jiang Ling really going through it.


    I have just about finished up my semester and managed to pass my courses (somehow). Updates will be at 12:00 EST Sunday, until I finish translating the novel. Then, updates will be every day.


    Based on the chapters out on gongzicp, the main novel seems to be finished, for a total of 71 chapters and 1 mid-serialization extra. We may be getting some extras later, but the translation is a long way off from there. So far, the author has stated that they don¡¯t have a Weibo, so all chapters/extras will likely be available on gongzicp.


    Since the novel length is reasonable, I should be able to complete the translation for the whole novel, probably by the end of the year? We will have to see, I guess.

 CH 20

    Chapter 20: A Reunion


    He Xi was settled in her own study. The interior was simply decorated, a heavy curtain hanging in the doorway and a rug with whorling lines of holy fire spread out on the ground. A stone-crafted bookshelf was arranged next to the wall, its front lined fully with books, the majority of which were central plains¡¯ medical texts written in its respective characters. A stone table was lined with brushes, ink, inkstones, and paper. A few oil lamps dotted the wall, casting a weak light on He Xi¡¯s profile. Warmth was always wan in these stone-constructed rooms.


    He Xi sat before the table, focusing on leafing through the medical text in her hands.


    ¡°Lady Saintess.¡± A Na¡¯s voice came through from outside the stone door.


    ¡°Enter.¡± He Xi¡¯s awareness was pulled out of the book.


    A Na pushed open the door and walked in. His right hand slanted in front of his chest, saluting He Xi, who nodded slightly.


    ¡°According to this subordinate¡¯s understanding, a few hamlets below the mountain have cases of febrile disease to varying degrees.¡± A Na had been appointed by He Xi to investigate the febrile disease down the mountain, ¡°The city¡¯s medicine stock will run out soon, and many people come from elsewhere to seek medical treatment.¡±


    ¡°I will go down to see the hamlets tomorrow. Please prepare.¡± He Xi closed the medical text in her hands, ¡°We¡¯ll take some medicine. Also, have some others go to Longxi to bring back some more medicine.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡± A Na accepted the order. His eyes shifted, then said, ¡°Lady Saintess, our Manichaen disciples have not fallen ill. Presumably it¡¯s a blessing from our Father[1].¡±


    ¡°What are you thinking of?¡± He Xi tilted her head, peering at him with her amber-colored irises, seeming pensive. This central plains person is actually more devoted to the Father than she was.


    ¡°What this subordinate intends is to ask, may we perform missionary work in those hamlets?¡± A Na spoke his thoughts. Since Ge Lan began managing the Manichaens, they had performed few missions outside of Xiyu.


    ¡°As you will.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡± With He Xi¡¯s permission, A Na retreated.


    The study once again became quiet. He Xi leaned back in her chair. The recent events relating to the febrile disease had left her somewhat at a loss. While the disease was always resolved with treatment, the unending stream of patients was difficult to manage. She looked through both her Xiyu and central plains medical texts, but she was still unclear. She covered her eyes with an arm and sighed deeply.


    ¡°Father?¡± He Xi had followed Ge Lan, who was passionate about the culture of the central plains, since she was little. She had also been influenced by this deep love of his, so she had declined to comment on A Na¡¯s words.


    The next day, He Xi donned a veil and brought Ye Qi and A Na along on camels to travel to the hamlets outside of the city with the most severe cases of the febrile disease.


    The sandy sea once again resounded with the ¡®ting ting ting¡¯ of the bells.


    The small group had not traveled far before they saw a Manichaen follower hurry toward He Xi on camelback. He flipped off the camel, knelt with one knee on the ground, and saluted He Xi.


    ¡°Lady Saintess, this subordinate saw a youth from the central plains ahead. They seem to be dying.¡± The follower related to He Xi.


    ¡°From the central plains?¡± Ye Qi said, ¡°Let the central plains people help them. We are not some sort of charitable sect, saving every dog and cat[2] that wanders in.¡± There would often be central plains people lost in the desert who would die of dehydration or starvation, eventually being buried by the yellow sand. These kinds of things were not rare occurrences.


    ¡°There¡¯s no need. Feed them some water. The rest will be up to them.¡± He Xi ordered. At the moment, He Xi did not feel any excessive sympathy for this unfamiliar central plains person. She had more important things to deal with now.


    ¡°B-but.¡± The follower stammered.


    ¡°But what, the Lady Saintess has matters to attend to. Hurry and withdraw.¡± A Na reprimanded. This follower was truly not sensible.


    ¡°The youth has the holy fire on his wrist.¡± The follower said. Originally, whether or not they saved a central plains person was up to fate, but they had seen that the jewel hanging from the youth¡¯s wrist was engraved with the holy fire. They had not seen the youth in the following before, but it was a central tenet of Manichean teachings to view other believers as one¡¯s own brother. When they saw He Xi leave the city, they rushed over to report.


    ¡°Holy fire?¡± He Xi frowned. Aside from her, no one had the holy fire. Perhaps this follower had baked in the sun too long and lost their senses.


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t the holy fire. There¡¯s a bracelet on the youth¡¯s wrist with a cornelian gem engraved with the sacred holy fire.¡± The follower discovered the error in his report and hurried to correct himself.


    ¡°¡­¡± He Xi seemed to have realized something. Could that youth be her? Why would she be here? She was full of doubts.


    ¡°You wait here. I will go and look.¡± He Xi unexpectedly had Ye Qi remain in place as she called the follower to lead her over.


    Yellow sand puffed up behind the camels¡¯ heels as they galloped away.


    That turquoise silhouette, which was half-covered in yellow sand, was gradually revealed. Her hair wrap of the same color fluttered in the wind, the coiled hair at the crown of her head loosening, a few wisps of black hair sticking to her face. Her cheeks were abnormally ruddy, her lips pale and dry. Her wrist, which lay exposed, bore the cornelian as crimson as a fireball.


    He Xi jumped off the camel. She squatted beside the youth and caressed their face. She squeezed her eyes shut and let out a small breath.


    It was her.


    He Xi pulled Jiang Ling out of the sand and laid her flat on the ground.


    ¡°Water.¡± He Xi quickly told the follower to pass the water over.


    ¡°Understood.¡± The follower passed a flask of water from the camel to He Xi.


    She opened the flask and poured the water into Jiang Ling¡¯s mouth to make her drink.


    Jiang Ling was lifeless. All of the water dribbled out of the corner of her mouth.


    There was no alternative. He Xi looked around to be sure Ye Qi and the others had not come over, ¡°You. Turn around.¡±


    The follower did not know why the Lady Saintess was suddenly using such stern words, but he could only accept the order and turn around.


    He Xi removed her veil and took a large mouthful of water, passing the water from her mouth to Jiang Ling¡¯s like a flowing spring of life.


    Jiang Ling¡¯s throat moved, swallowing the water.


    Jiang Ling¡¯s spiritual consciousness was muddled. She only felt that she was burning up where she lay in a raging inferno when suddenly the flames were extinguished by a cool spring.


    She slowly opened her eyes. Entering her sight was that pair of amber irises that she could never forget.


    ¡°He Xi¡­¡± Jiang Ling did not know if she was dreaming. Even if she was dreaming, she wanted to take revenge for her shixiong.


    He Xi saw Jiang Ling open her eyes and felt a surge of joy, but immediately after, Jiang Ling struck out with a palm. Her palm strike was feeble, lacking any form of destructive power. He Xi lightly grabbed her hand.


    ¡°You¡¯re already like this and you still want to kill me?¡± He Xi tilted her head and looked at Jiang Ling closely.


    The follower heard He Xi say that the youth wanted to kill her, so he hurriedly turned back around and pulled Jiang Ling away. He stood in between them and pointed his blade at Jiang Ling. Jiang Ling was thrown back onto the sand. While the sand may have been soft, Jiang Ling¡¯s back was wounded, so this motion hurt so much Jiang Ling¡¯s brow twisted in pain. She curled up on her side, moans spilling out of her mouth.


    He Xi immediately berated the follower and had him withdraw, then rushed to support Jiang Ling¡¯s shoulder and half lifted her up.


    ¡°Jiang Ling, what¡¯s wrong?¡± He Xi realized that Jiang Ling was not simply dehydrated.


    ¡°Hurts, it hurts.¡± Jiang Ling said in agony.


    ¡°Hurts?¡± He Xi felt a stickiness on her palm. She raised her hand and found it was covered in blood.


    He Xi¡¯s breath caught. She pulled off Jiang Ling¡¯s waist belt, and the robe slipped off, revealing a body covered in gauze. Blood seeped through the bandaging, staining her robe red.


    ¡°What happened to you?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    The only response she received was Jiang Ling¡¯s weak breaths. She had sunken into another stupor.


    He Xi put Jiang Ling¡¯s clothing back on for her, placed her on her camel so she could lean on her own back, then took her on the same camel back to Ye Qi¡¯s location.


    Ye Qi and A Na had both been waiting for a long time and saw that He Xi had truly brought this central plains person back with her. A Na found the youth¡¯s face slightly familiar, and he looked her up and down closely for a moment.


    Ye Qi saw that, while the youth looked sickly, upon closer inspection, their appearance was handsome and pretty. Without additional thought, he looked back at He Xi.


    ¡°Saintess, what shall we do now?¡± Ye Qi asked He Xi first.


    ¡°Going back.¡±


    The entire group was taken aback. Saintess He Xi had unexpectedly called off their plans because of a central plains person.


    He Xi remembered Jiang Ling¡¯s wound and directed her camel to the back of the group.


    ¡°Ai, is that holy fire bracelet the Saintess¡¯?¡± Ye Qi brought his camel closer to A Na¡¯s and whispered.


    ¡°Seems to be, I¡¯ve seen it before. I haven¡¯t seen the Saintess bring it with her these last few years. She must have given it to this central plains person, then.¡± A Na answered.


    Sometimes, Ye Qi really admired A Na. He was clearly someone born in the central plains, but in his heart, he was more like someone from Xiyu than people born in Xiyu. The way he said ¡®central plains person¡¯ made him seem like he already considered himself entirely from Xiyu.


    ¡°So the Saintess likes this kind of person.¡± Ye Qi teased.


    ¡°You should speak less of the Saintess¡¯ matters.¡± A Na patted the camel¡¯s side with the arch of his foot, opening up some distance between himself and Ye Qi.


    ¡°Ye Qi.¡± He Xi¡¯s voice called off from further away.


    Ye Qi acknowledged and came up to her.


    ¡°Go find A Xi and bring her to me.¡±


    A Xi was a female witch doctor.


    ¡°Understood.¡± Ye Qi accepted his orders and entered the city immediately.


    Once He Xi entered the city, she dismissed the others and instructed them not to speak of her bringing back a central plains person. The others obeyed and departed.


    Although the acting leader Ge Lan would not reject a central plains person, and it was perfectly acceptable for a central plains person like A Na to follow her, the people of the Zhuli Sect, especially the Dharma Protector, Na Cuo, did not like central plains people. To avoid unnecessary conflict, He Xi brought Jiang Ling to her own residence and arranged another, out-of-the-way room for her, telling the servant girl to bring her over when the witch doctor arrived.


    She carried Jiang Ling and gently placed her on the divan and helped her lay flat. Jiang Ling¡¯s brow scrunched up, her temples dotted with sweat as she slept tumultuously. He Xi wanted to smooth her brow, but no matter what she did, they remained scrunched.


    After a while, the servant girl, Na Xin, brought Ye Qi and the witch doctor in. The witch doctor was from Xiyu and about sixty years of age. The marks of age lined her face, and her hair had already turned white.


    He Xi welcomed the doctor in, saying as she let the heavy door curtain fall, ¡°A wounded back.¡±


    The witch doctor listened and went to remove Jiang Ling¡¯s robe. Na Xin came forward to help. He Xi watched as the two of them worked together, not needing her help, so she stayed back to avoid troubling them. She looked on nervously.


    ¡°A girl?¡± The witch doctor said in realization. When she had heard that the Saintess had saved a man, she wondered why they had sought her out, since there were many capable, male witch doctors in the city. So it was because the patient was a girl.


    ¡°Mm, I met her in the central plains. She¡¯s a¡­friend.¡± He Xi had received treatment from this witch doctor for illnesses or injuries ever since she was small, so she could feel at ease handing Jiang Ling over to her.


    The bloodstained bandages on Jiang Ling¡¯s back were shocking. The blood had already dried, the gauze and skin stuck together. The witch doctor unconsciously knitted her brows together, ¡°She¡¯s injured so severely.¡±


    Translator Note:


    If y¡¯all are interested, here¡¯s the lowdown on Manichaeism. I actually wrote a paper on Mani in one of my theology courses (I think based on The Gardens of Light by Amin Maalouf and other stuff), and some of you may like some context. Feel free to skip.


    Manichaeism was a religion founded by Mani, a prophet in the Sasanian Empire from the 3rd century, which was, at the time, primarily Zoroastrian. Manichaeism evolved from a form of Christian gnosticism, which you can think of as ¡®elitist Christians¡¯, who believed that only people with a certain inborn quality would be saved, as well as Zoroastrianism. Hence, some references, like ¡®Father¡¯, may be somewhat Christian in nature when translated to English, and there are loads of fire references.


    Mani was brought up in a secluded religious community, but received a revelation from God and went to spread the new Manichaeism to other parts of the Sasanian Empire, including India. He was chill with the empire at first, but the growing presence of Manichaeism obviously started to freak out the big-wigs, so after a change in power he was ultimately imprisoned and died.


    Manichaeism ended up spreading further west. It also found success in southeast and east Asia where it kind of mixed in some Buddhism before coming to China during the Tang Dynasty. It was pretty much eradicated b/c of persecution over a few centuries. Today, there isn¡¯t really much going on with Manichaeism. It¡¯s pretty much died out, but there are some remaining artworks, pottery, and stuff that has information on the life of Mani and the cosmogony.


    As far as the belief system goes, to resolve the paradoxical, established view of a simultaneously omnipotent, omnipresent, and all-good God, Manichaeism holds that God is not omnipotent, but is all-good. All things, including humans and the soul, arise from a conflict between the good/light (i.e. God) and the bad/darkness (i.e. the devil). No need to go into further details on this, cause it¡¯s honestly quite complicated (similar to ancient gnosticism, that stuff is a mess to decipher but low-key really interesting), but there is a huge focus on the duality of the light and the dark. Human beings are neither intrinsically good or evil, but a coalescence of both dark and light that mirrors the overall conflict between the two powers. This is why the blade was called the ¡®Ming Blade¡¯, or bright blade, and likely why there are two of them.


    That¡¯s it for now. I¡¯ll write a separate post if there is need/interest later on.

 CH 21

    Chapter 21: Treating Injuries


    Content warning: wound treatment, not too graphic


    ¡°Looks like she is suffering no small amount.¡± The witch doctor¡¯s heart went out to Jiang Ling¡¯s plight. What had she run into to render her into this half-dead state?


    The witch doctor had Na Xin bring a pair of scissors and cut away the gauze around Jiang Ling¡¯s shoulders. Na Xin half lifted Jiang Ling¡¯s body lightly so the bandaging could be removed by the witch doctor.


    However, the bloodied bandaging and her back were stuck tightly together. The witch doctor tried to pull the gauze away a few times to no avail. Jiang Ling moaned in pain.


    ¡°Remove it directly.¡± He Xi said, standing off to one side, ¡°Do not mind me.¡±


    He Xi raised her irises to glance at Jiang Ling, then sighed. She pushed aside the door curtain and exited, sitting calmly on a stone bench in the courtyard. Inside, all she could do was caution the witch doctor and feel even more uneasy.


    Jiang Ling¡¯s groans of agony came from within the room. He Xi¡¯s fists subconsciously tightened.


    ¡°Quickly, quickly, hold her down.¡± The witch doctor¡¯s harried voice cried, then a crash sounded.


    He Xi truly could not rest easy and thought it best to go back inside.


    Jiang Ling had been awoken by the pain, her brows scrunched together and her eyes awash in a misty daze. Her body glistened with a thin layer of sweat, her back obscured by blood as it gushed out of the wound. She helplessly struggled to rise, her hands forcefully pushing Na Xin away. Na Xin had never studied martial arts and was thrown back by Jiang Ling¡¯s push onto the bedside table. Her waist collided with the corner of the table, making her face contort in agony.


    Jiang Ling was propped up painfully on the bed. Her mind was in chaos, her movements completely out of instinct.


    When He Xi saw this, she wrapped both her arms around Jiang Ling to hold her in place. Jiang Ling struggled twice, but did not succeed in breaking away.


    Immediately, the pain on Jiang Ling¡¯s back lightened a little bit. Her brow relaxed and she threw herself into He Xi¡¯s embrace.


    He Xi suddenly had a scaldingly hot body in her arms. She unconsciously supported Jiang Ling¡¯s waist, the fine, smooth texture beneath her fingers startling her into wanting to immediately throw Jiang Ling aside. She resisted the strange sensation with great difficulty and adjusted her posture, sitting on the bed so Jiang Ling¡¯s head could rest in her lap while the rest of her body stretched out onto the bed.


    The witch doctor saw that Jiang Ling had calmed down and rushed forward to clean her wound. After doing so, she discovered that she actually had a large cut on her palm. Because she had not dealt with it in time, the wound had already begun to fester.


    ¡°How is it like this.¡± The witch doctor wanted to reprimand the girl and ask her how she could treat her own body this poorly, but when she saw the state she was currently in, she swallowed those harsh words.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± When He Xi saw the wound she thought to herself that it was surely fake. She could only think of how Jiang Ling had most likely come to the desert because of her, and her heart was filled with remorse.


    ¡°At best, she¡¯ll be left with a scar. At worst, she¡¯ll lose her life.¡± The witch doctor spoke frankly, ¡°Based on her appearance, she was out in the desert for a few days and is already weak. Combined with her wound, if another half a day had passed, there would be nothing to be done.¡±


    The witch doctor pointed at Jiang Ling¡¯s injury, ¡°Look here. This wound has already started to fester. The flesh is dead, keeping it will only endanger her life. Her high fever now is due to the festering wound. I must cut away the flesh. If she is too weak, this will kill her.¡±


    ¡°How could¡­¡±


    ¡°Keep the wound open for two days until she wakes up, then call for me. Just make sure not to harm the flesh again.¡± The witch doctor shook her head and sprinkled her medicine on the wound. After giving a few more instructions about caring for the wound, Na Xin saw the witch doctor out, leaving behind only He Xi and Jiang Ling.


    He Xi tilted her head down to look at Jiang Ling¡¯s side profile. Damp hair clung to her face. He Xi tidied her hair with a finger.


    ¡°Mother.¡± Jiang Ling called out softly.


    ¡°Mm?¡± He Xi did not hear her clearly. She leaned down to hear.


    ¡°Mother, it hurts.¡± Jiang Ling¡¯s tears leaked out of the corners of her eyes, dampening the cloth on He Xi¡¯s lap.


    He Xi only felt a heat scorching her legs, warming her heart. Jiang Ling must be too hot.


    She gently laid Jiang Ling back down on the bed, placing the pillow under her head.


    She left the room and brought back a jar of wine, dipping her scarf in to cool Jiang Ling down for her.


    ¡­


    When Jiang Ling woke up, it was already the afternoon of the second day. Her head was spinning. When she lifted her eyelids slightly, she saw a Xiyu woman walking in with a bowl of porridge.


    Her eyes were not amber-colored. Everything from before had been a dream.


    The woman saw that she was awake and came forward happily, her mouth moving as she spoke words that Jiang Ling could not understand.


    Jiang Ling understood the general idea. In the last portion that she spoke, she must have told her to drink the porridge, then held the ladle up for her, as her lips were still cracked from dehydration.


    ¡°I can do it myself.¡± Jiang Ling wanted to sit up and grab the ladle, but just as she rose a little bit, before her wound even had time to hurt, the coolness on her chest let her know that she was not wearing any clothes. Startled, she stuck to the bed.


    The woman saw this and chuckled. She said a few more words then brought the ladle back over to her. Jiang Ling could only take sip after sip from the ladle.


    After she ate, because her fever had not yet receded, Jiang Ling was listless and soon fell back to sleep.


    Na Xin told He Xi that Jiang Ling had woken up. He Xi was delighted and wanted to go see her immediately, but then she remembered the enmity between her and Jiang Ling. The best way to express her concern would be to act contrary to her own wishes. When she asked Na Xin if Jiang Ling had had any sort of extreme reaction, Na Xin replied, ¡°No.¡±


    He Xi felt somewhat relieved. Jiang Ling must not remember that she saved her, or she would definitely not lay there properly and recover, given how she had tried to kill her in her half-dead state before.


    ¡°The Lady Saintess is not going to go see her?¡± Na Xin saw He Xi¡¯s posture, which showed no indication that she would go see Jiang Ling.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s fine if you help me take care of her.¡± He Xi waved a hand for Na Xin to retreat.


    ¡°The Lady Saintess truly cares for her.¡±


    ¡°Mm?¡±


    Na Xin felt that she had spoken out of turn, so she rushed to close her mouth. He Xi responded without anger, ¡°What do you want to say?¡±


    ¡°The Lady Saintess is concerned about her, yet does not go see her.¡± He Xi was not a frightening master. If she had Na Xin continue, then Na Xin would continue speaking.


    ¡°It¡¯s not concern. It¡¯s guilt.¡± He Xi gave Na Xin the same explanation she gave herself. She would not treat others kindly without reason.


    ¡°Alright, I will go take care of her.¡±


    However, Na Xin remained in place, looking at He Xi uneasily.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°I cannot speak the language of the central plains. She does not understand me.¡±


    He Xi laughed, ¡°It¡¯s no matter. As long as you take good care of her.¡± It was better if they had no way to communicate. This way, matters would not develop in a direction she could not calculate.


    Because of Ge Lan¡¯s proclivities, the majority of the Manichaen church spoke some of the central plains¡¯ language. Some could converse fluently and some could only understand. Moreover, because of the trade between Xiyu and the central plains, some common people of Xiyu who travel to the central plains for business can speak some. Na Xin was someone that He Xi had rescued from a small hamlet and thus had never studied the Han language[1]. Naturally, she could not communicate with Jiang Ling.


    The witch doctor heard that Jiang Ling had awoken and hurried over.


    ¡°Grandmother A Xi, do not tell her that I was the one who rescued her.¡± He Xi reminded her. A Xi understood Han, so she had to tell her as soon as she greeted her.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you two friends?¡± The witch doctor did not understand.


    ¡°An accident occured. If she asks, tell her that Na Xin brought her back.¡±


    Although the witch doctor did not understand, she still gave her assent.


    ¡­


    Jiang Ling was woken up by the sound of the witch doctor entering. She moved around a little, as she felt a bit numb from lying down.


    Once the witch doctor walked into her line of sight, she could see her appearance.


    ¡°Little lady, how do you feel?¡± The witch doctor used Han to speak to Jiang Ling.


    Jiang Ling¡¯s eyes flashed when she heard the familiar words, ¡°Much better, just a little tired. I¡¯m always sleeping.¡±


    When the witch doctor heard this, she reached out a hand and checked her forehead. It was still a bit warm, as the wound had not been dealt with yet.


    ¡°Excuse me, were you[2] the one who saved me?¡± Jiang Ling asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m just a doctor. It was that girl who saved you. You¡¯ve met her before.¡± The witch doctor pointed to Na Xin, who was standing beside her.


    ¡°Thank you.¡± Jiang Ling gave her thanks to Na Xin. Na Xin suddenly realized that Jiang Ling was speaking to her and felt a little helpless. The witch doctor explained to her, and then she understood.


    ¡°Your injuries are very severe. Some places have already festered. Now that I¡¯ve seen that your awareness is much better, I¡¯ll come back tomorrow to help you.¡± The witch doctor did not talk in circles. She straightforwardly told Jiang Ling of her current situation and what she should do about it.


    Jiang Ling nodded and said: ¡°If I can live, I can endure some pain.¡±


    The witch doctor applied some medicine and after instructing her to get some proper rest that night, the witch doctor departed.


    When Na Xin went to the courtyard to prepare her medicine, Jiang Ling finally had the opportunity to closely examine her surroundings. The room was quite plain, its foundation made of stone. It was entirely different from the central plains. Her sword had been hung on the wall, and she wore Xiyu clothing similar to He Xi and her caravan. She guessed that Na Xin was a Xiyu resident of the oasis she had glimpsed before falling unconscious. Once she finished healing, she must repay her.


    A while passed, and Na Xin entered the room once she finished decocting her medicine. Jiang Ling was not unreasonable; she shifted forward so her shoulder hung off the side of the bed, took the bowl of medicine and drank it in one gulp. Once she finished the medicine, she shifted back so her head lay on the pillow as she digested the astringent flavor. Not once did she act willfully or finicky.


    When He Xi heard Na Xin¡¯s description, her heart moved, giving rise to the idea of going to see such a scene for herself. As soon as she thought of the enmity between them, a debt of a person¡¯s life, this idea immediately left her mind. Now was not the time to meet with her.


    The witch doctor arrived as scheduled the next day. She brought her tools, the sight of which made goosebumps break out on Na Xin¡¯s skin. When the witch doctor asked her to step out for a while, Na Xin felt like she had been granted an Imperial Pardon. She released a breath, then ran out the door.


    Unlike that day when she had gotten out of control, the now-cognizant Jiang Ling¡¯s fortitude was strong. She bit down on the wooden stick given to her by the witch doctor on her back molars; she did not make a sound.


    Once she had finished clearing the wound, the witch doctor applied medicine to stop the bleeding, only to discover that Jiang Ling had already passed out from the pain.


    He Xi stood outside, surprised about the quietness within the room. Outside of the room, time seemed to stand still until the witch doctor¡¯s hand poked out the door. Only then did He Xi find that the wound had already been completely cleared.


    ¡°She did well, not making so much as a sound. She¡¯s unconscious now. After two days, the fever should recede. If it hasn¡¯t, send some people to find me. I¡¯ll be going, then.¡± The witch doctor always arrived and left swiftly.


    That night, Jiang Ling was muddled by fever, sweating over her entire body. A pair of cool hands pressed to her forehead, relieving much of the heat.


    He Xi stroked her forehead. She was even more scalding than two days prior. He Xi instructed Na Xin to get some alcohol to help cool Jiang Ling¡¯s body down.


    The second morning, Jiang Ling¡¯s fever receded and the flush in her cheeks likewise dimmed. Her complexion looked much better.

 CH 22

    Jiang Ling was young, afterall; once the fever receded, she started to get better. Before even a few days had passed, she was able to rise. Na Xin helped her wrap her injuries and brought her the turquoise robes she had been wearing prior, as well as two sets of clothing for central plains¡¯ men.


    After Na Xin helped her put on her clothing, Jiang Ling resumed the appearance of a handsome youth.


    While she may have had no way of communicating with Na Xin, with arms gestures, she taught Na Xin her name and learned Na Xin¡¯s name in turn. However, this was clearly inadequate. The witch doctor did not come again, and Jiang Ling could not find someone with whom she could communicate. She did not know where she was; everything was unknown to her. Jiang Ling completely lacked a sense of grounding.


    After another half a month had passed and Jiang Ling had confirmed that she could move about without issue, she thought to go out for a walk. She had to figure out where, exactly, she was and how she could go back.


    Shangguan Qing and the others must be anxious about her since they could not find her. She always made others worry. It was just that, once Na Xin found out about her intentions, she shook her head in alarm, indicating that Jiang Ling should not go out, that she had better remain in the courtyard.


    When He Xi learned of this matter and checked in on Jiang Ling herself, she descended the mountain and found a reliable trade caravan, planning to have Jiang Ling travel with them back to the central plains.


    That day, entrusted with He Xi¡¯s instructions, Na Xin went to Grandmother A Xi to grab the scar dispersing ointment for Jiang Ling.


    ¡°Na Xin, where are you going?¡± Na Cuo rounded a corner, hugging his blade close to his chest as he blocked Na Xin¡¯s way.


    ¡°Lord Protector, I¡­I¡¯m not going anywhere.¡± Na Cuo¡¯s appearance was fierce. Na Xin was frightened, so she stuttered when responding.


    ¡°Not going anywhere? Why did I often see you at the Saintess¡¯ spare courtyard, then. I recall that the Saintess¡¯ Palace is empty except for you.¡± Na Cuo walked closer to Na Xin, ¡°I heard that the Saintess is hiding a central plains person that she brought back. Is that true?¡±


    Na Xin shook her head in alarm, then gathered her courage and said, ¡°Lord Protector, please remember your dignity. This is the Saintess¡¯ place.¡±


    ¡°You are quite loyal to the Saintess. Speak. Did the Saintess bring a central plains person back?¡± Na Cuo suddenly reached forward and grabbed Na Xin¡¯s arm, the bruising force behind his grip making Na Xin break out in a cold sweat.


    Na Cuo tightened his grip even further. Na Xin bit her lip and continued to shake her head.


    All of a sudden, a sword glare flashed. Na Cuo pushed Na Xin away to avoid the blow.


    Jiang Ling had been sitting beside the bed, circulating her breath and waiting for Na Xin. During the short span of being injured, Jiang Ling had not been practicing her heart calming exercises. However, when she saw that Na Xin was late returning, she grew anxious, grabbed her sword, and went out to look for her.


    Once she left the courtyard, she heard Na Xin¡¯s voice and the voice of a man not too far away. Jiang Ling heard that the man¡¯s voice was none too kind and went over to get a clearer picture.


    She then saw the man grab Na Xin¡¯s arm in a philandering way, as well as Na Xin¡¯s uncomfortable expression; she was clearly unwilling.


    Jiang Ling immediately unsheathed her sword and went to save her.


    After evading the blow, Na Cuo saw a central plains youth in turquoise robes slicing through the space between him and Na Xin.


    ¡°So there is a central plains person, after all. The Saintess is growing more and more outrageous. Having a central plains disciple by her side is one thing, but now she¡¯s directly bringing back central plains people. The lord has said nothing, so you subordinates say nothing of it as well?¡±


    Na Cuo was not fond of central plains people and, even more so, disapproved of Ge Lan¡¯s actions. The Saintess was wanton and ignored the majesty of the holy teachings. Once the founder left the pass, he would definitely take care of those who had fanciful ideas about the central plains.


    Jiang Ling did not understand what Na Cuo said, but when she saw that his expression bode ill, she completely raised her guard.


    Burning with anger, Na Cuo pulled out his sword and slashed toward Jiang Ling, ¡°After I catch you today, I¡¯ll rectify our teachings!¡±


    Jiang Ling had not yet healed. She clenched her jaw as she received Na Cuo¡¯s series of strikes. Na Cuo¡¯s internal force was strong, its power shaking Jiang Ling. Her chest tightened in pain, a familiar sense of restlessness rising up inside of her. Jiang Ling did not want to meet him head on again. Her silhouette flashed past, her wrist turning nimbly as the tip of her blade twisted Na Cuo¡¯s sword in a circle. The hand gripping Na Cuo¡¯s blade was forced to let go. Jiang Ling kicked the hilt of the blade, sending it flying into the wall.


    ¡°I did not expect such hidden skills ah.¡± Na Cuo had underestimated her, not thinking that this slender youth would be so skilled. In that moment when he had taken the threat she posed lightly, she had disarmed him. Na Cuo now had no one on whom to vent his anger. He saw Na Xin hiding behind a pillar. He turned toward her, one hand snatching her by the neck. Na Xin, scared by his sudden actions, went pale with fright.


    ¡°Let her go!¡± Jiang Ling yelled furiously.


    ¡°I could let her go, if you drop your sword and come over here.¡± Jiang Ling did not expect that Na Cuo could speak Han.


    Jiang Ling looked at Na Xin¡¯s pale face, then threw her sword to the side, ¡°You can let her go now.¡±


    ¡°Come closer.¡± Na Cuo gripped Na Xin¡¯s throat tighter, cutting off her breathing and making her choke.


    Jiang Ling could only move closer.


    Once Na Cuo saw Jiang Ling comply, he suddenly pushed Na Xin away into Jiang Ling¡¯s arms. While she was distracted, Na Cuo¡¯s ¡®Winter¡¯s Wind Palm¡¯ had already arrived at Na Xin¡¯s back.


    ¡°Despicable!¡± Jiang Ling heaved Na Xin away and met Na Cuo¡¯s palm strike. The force from the four palms colliding created a burst of wind that blew out from the center. That ¡®Winter¡¯s Wind Palm¡¯ poured coldness directly into Jiang Ling. The swirling qi within Jiang Ling¡¯s chest burned away the icy coldness, locking her and Na Cuo in a stalemate. The two of them pushed each other away and retracted their strikes.


    Na Cuo clenched both of his fists but kept his gaze still. This youth, who looked like they could be blown over in a strong wind, actually had internal skills this strong. His hands were red with a scalding burn which seemed to penetrate down to his bones.


    Jiang Ling¡¯s back carried a piercing pain, like her wound had reopened. Her chest felt stifled with the flare up of her old condition. She wanted to calm her breathing, but the scorching hot energy within her dantian seemed to have its own ideas. It kept pointing her toward Na Cuo, as if it wanted her to engage in a life-and-death struggle with him. Jiang Ling¡¯s mind was burned away. She did not know what had occurred, but she felt a pain at the nape of her neck, then her consciousness was lost.


    ¡­


    It was dark by the time He Xi returned to the city. Just as she entered, she was blocked by Zhu Li.


    ¡°The Saintess has been enjoying life. As it happens, you¡¯ve been hiding a fair and slender central plains youth in your courtyard, a crime for someone of your status!¡±


    He Xi raised an eyebrow, ¡°My Lord Left Envoy. Your meaning?¡±


    Zhu Li¡¯s eyes went cold, ¡°Who the Saintess chooses to keep does not concern me. But your little mistake has injured Na Cuo.¡±


    Jiang Ling was still recovering from an injury, and in He Xi¡¯s eyes, Jiang Ling did not have any internal force. She could flee, but she could not hurt others. If He Xi had discovered that Jiang Ling had escaped, she could believe it. However, hearing that she had hurt someone, especially a highly skilled person like Na Cuo, she did not believe it.


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Seeing that He Xi kept silent, Zhu Li added: ¡°Since the Saintess failed to discipline them properly, I¡¯ve delivered a punishment in your place.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Your dog is in the dungeon. Please take it away and discipline it.¡± Zhu Li left with a swish of his sleeves.


    ¡­


    In the dark, damp dungeon, Jiang Ling had awoken. She was curled up sideways on the dry straw, the severe pain in her right wrist reminding her again and again that she had become a lowly prisoner.


    What kind of place was this¡­


    ¡°Lady Saintess.¡± Jiang Ling did not understand the words spoken by the guard outside of her cell. A silhouette of a woman appeared as she walked toward her, gradually drawing near.


    This time, when He Xi¡¯s beautiful face entered her sight, Jiang Ling was certain she had not been dreaming then.


    She stood quietly outside of the cell, staring at her, and Jiang Ling continued to lay on her side. Her half-closed eyes were filled with the sight of He Xi.


    After a moment, Jiang Ling slowly sat up and started cackling, ¡°HAHAHAHA! So it¡¯s like this, the land of the Manichaens!¡±


    Her foe was standing so clearly in front of her eyes. She had become her prisoner, and even more laughably, she was the one who saved her, not Na Xin. It was her, it was He Xi! That woman she had seen in her dreams, enshrouded in fog and haze, was her.


    She buried her face in her hands, tears leaking out from between her fingers as she sobbed, ¡°Why do the heavens treat me so!¡±


    Jiang Ling bit her lip, that stifled sensation in her chest rearing its head again.


    He Xi saw her condition and did not say anything. She took out a key and opened the cell door, waiting to speak of their matters after she had taken her away.


    Just as He Xi opened the door, Jiang Ling flung out a palm, using all of her strength to attack her.


    ¡°Jiang Ling!¡± He Xi grabbed Jiang Ling¡¯s wrist to control her.


    ¡°Today, I will kill you to avenge my shixiong. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll accompany you to the Yellow Springs[1] to repay your kindness.¡± Jiang Ling¡¯s gaze was brimming with killing intent. With a twist of her wrist, she threw off He Xi¡¯s grip, and she struck out again toward He Xi¡¯s chest, her actions frenzied. He Xi reversed her momentum, pinning Jiang Ling against the wall with her arms behind her back.


    As she had thought, there was something wrong with her. Na Xin had told her that that afternoon, Jiang Ling¡¯s eyes had turned completely crimson. With a single palm strike, Na Cuo spit blood. Then, Jiang Ling had raised her sword to kill him, as if she was an entirely different person.


    As she was now, she was entirely different. Aside from her shedding her immature appearance, her face was thinner and her body was taller. Her eyes had lost her purity, and now they were filled with viciousness. Had she truly been carried away by her hatred? She had become impulsive and unable to judge the situation because of her anger.


    Jiang Ling struggled a few times but could not break free. As her face was pressed against the cool wall, she gradually calmed down. The stabbing pain in her right hand drew away her attention.


    ¡°Hurts!¡±


    He Xi let her go. Jiang Ling covered her wrist and squatted down.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with your hand?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    She waited for Jiang Ling¡¯s strength to return.


    ¡°How did you injure Na Cuo?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Jiang Ling was aware that Na Cuo was the person she had fought, but Jiang Ling did not know what He Xi was referring to, ¡°I didn¡¯t injure him. We only exchanged a few blows.¡±


    ¡°My subordinate saw you injure him with the intent to kill him.¡±


    ¡°Who?¡± Jiang Ling raised her head and looked up at He Xi.


    ¡°Na Xin.¡± Jiang Ling did not dare to believe Na Xin¡¯s words, but she also had no reason not to believe them. She truly had no memory of such a thing.


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Are you still going to kill me?¡± He Xi gazed down at Jiang Ling from above. From Jiang Ling¡¯s perspective, He Xi was looking down at her scornfully. Jiang Ling did not like this kind of relative position, so she stood up.


    ¡°I can¡¯t beat you. Once I¡¯m able to, we can talk.¡± Jiang Ling seemed to have freed herself, the previous weight in her heart scattered by He Xi. Revenge is easier said than done; He Xi had suppressed her in two moves, and now, within her territory, she could only bide her time.


    He Xi did not continue to converse with her and left the dungeon.


    Jiang Ling had no choice but to follow her.


    Night had fallen. The nights in Xiyu were always bone-chillingly cold, freezing even if they had inner skills to protect their bodies. Both of them quickened their steps.


    Other than a few followers patrolling the streets, Jiang Ling did not see anyone else out. Jiang Ling followed He Xi back to her residence. At first, Na Xin felt a surge of joy when she saw the two of them, but when she remembered the look on Jiang Ling¡¯s face when she had lost control, she felt a twinge of fear.


    Jiang Ling grew certain that she had genuinely committed those things once she saw Na Xin¡¯s face. The return of her internal force had come with unknown dangers.

 CH 23

    Chapter 23: Feeling Bashful


    Jiang Ling blindly followed He Xi back and unconsciously entered her bedroom.


    ¡°Do you want to sleep together?¡± He Xi sat on the edge of the bed. Her beautiful irises gazed at Jiang Ling as she raised an eyebrow.


    Once Jiang Ling figured out where she had wandered into, her face went red, ¡°Ah, I-I¡¯ll leave.¡±


    Jiang Ling hurriedly turned around to leave, but before she could, He Xi¡¯s voice sounded, ¡°When did your internal force return.¡±


    Three years ago, she had clearly lacked the power to face people head on. When He Xi had exchanged blows with Jiang Ling just now, she had probed her qi[1]. Jiang Ling¡¯s qi was scorching hot, enough to burn anyone it came into contact with, and nothing like something Jiang Ling could have learned.


    Jiang Ling clenched her fists and turned around, showing her back to He Xi, ¡°Three years ago.¡±


    The events of three years prior was like a sharp needle stabbing into both of their fingers; not enough to be life threatening, yet enough to be acutely distressing.


    ¡°¡­¡±


    The room went silent once more. For a moment, both of them said nothing. Jiang Ling went to exit the room.


    ¡°I¡¯m very sorry about what happened with your shixiong.¡± He Xi had never meant to kill. When A Na had told her that two had been injured and one killed that day at the Qingshan Sect, she had then understood why Jiang Ling had come to her then. The one who died was most certainly her shixiong. Even though she had donned a disguise and concealed her true eye color, Jiang Ling had still recognized her.


    ¡°I am not qualified to accept your apology. Wait until I avenge my shixiong. Then you may apologize to him directly. Also, thank you for saving me.¡± Once she finished speaking, she left without a backward glance.


    The corners of He Xi¡¯s lips curled upward. Her mood was quite good.


    This person said that she wanted to kill her and thanked her simultaneously. She did not create any contradictions and made things very clear. She even said that, after killing her, she would accompany her into hell. How interesting.


    Jiang Ling felt that she had spoken naturally, but after exiting the room, she felt at a loss. She really had no idea where she was going in He Xi¡¯s residence. The land of the Manichaens was like one large stone palace network. He Xi lived on the eastern side, in a residence called Liuli Palace[2]. The palace was not large, as He Xi did not like having too many attendants. Other than the servant, Na Xin, and two door guards, the palace had no other attendants, so the entire place seemed open and spacious. Liuli Palace was decorated with the utmost simplicity, with very little ornamentation beyond the basic necessities. There were just a few dusky pink wall hangings draped in each room, making the empty living spaces feel warmer and suggesting that the Liuli Palace was indeed occupied by a young woman.


    Jiang Ling walked in a few circles but could not find where she had been living before, so she could only sit on the flight of stairs before the Liuli Palace¡¯s main hall and daydream.


    Na Xin had tidied up the side hall and saw Jiang Ling staring blankly into the distance as she walked out. She approached her cautiously.


    ¡°Jiang Ling.¡± Na Xin only knew how to say her name. She called out to her timidly.


    When Jiang Ling heard Na Xin call out to her, she turned her head. She was quite worried that Na Xin would appear frightened upon seeing her, but Na Xin¡¯s expression seemed normal. She walked a bit closer to her and gestured to the side hall.


    Jiang Ling understood Na Xin¡¯s intentions, so she followed her into the side hall beside He Xi¡¯s living quarters.


    ¡°Why did He Xi have me live next to her? What, are her enemies not close enough?¡± Jiang Ling muttered internally. She asked about this uncertain point the next morning, but He Xi said that she was afraid she would get herself into trouble, so she kept her close to relieve her worries. She also said that there was a caravan down the mountain that would set off for Zhangye before dawn the next morning and would have Jiang Ling join them.


    He Xi saw Jiang Ling¡¯s awkward expression, ¡°What, you don¡¯t want to return?¡±


    ¡°I do.¡±


    ¡°But you haven¡¯t had your revenge yet.¡± He Xi cut straight to the point.


    ¡°¡­¡± It had truly been difficult to find He Xi.


    They sank into silence once again. When Na Xin brought breakfast, the silence was broken.


    He Xi had Jiang Ling eat some millet porridge with a side of seasoned meat for breakfast. Rice was in short supply in Xiyu, and the majority of the coarse grains were imported from within the Pass. For the most part, Xiyu raised cattle and sheep and ate meals consisting mostly of meat.


    Jiang Ling lifted her right hand, then put it back down and used her left hand to ladle the porridge.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with your right hand?¡± She had seen her rubbing her right hand ever since last night.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Jiang Ling likewise did not know what was wrong. In the dungeon, there had been a dull pain in her right wrist, and when she had engaged in a fight with He Xi, it had started to hurt even more, so much so that she could not use her internal force. The pain had weakened since, but she still could not hold objects.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Jiang Ling cried out in alarm. He Xi cradled Jiang Ling¡¯s hand in her palms and rolled up her sleeve. The cornelian bracelet that she had gifted her was on her slender, pale wrist, but the red dot on her wrist stung her eyes.


    ¡°Soul-Locking Needle?¡± He Xi thought back to the ¡®punishment¡¯ mentioned by Zhu Li. So he had used the Soul-Locking Needle.


    ¡°What?¡± Jiang Ling did not understand.


    He Xi did not answer her. She let go of Jiang Ling¡¯s hand, then left the hall.


    ¡­


    ¡°The Saintess arrived quite early.¡± Zhu Li saw He Xi enter wearing a solemn expression and knew that she had come because of that central plains person.


    ¡°Soul-Locking Needle.¡±


    The Soul-Locking Needle was a technique specifically designed to inflict torment on traitorous followers or prisoners. The effect would depend on where the needle was inserted; if inserted into an acupoint, then the needle would cause tortuous pain, and if inserted into the meridians, then the needle would eliminate the possibility of the organs functioning normally. The people in the world who knew this technique were few in number. If one was afflicted with the Soul-Locking Needle, then the fear was that one would become disabled. Luo Zhu[3] had already forbidden this technique. He Xi only knew that the leader could cure it, but asking the leader to treat Jiang Ling was truly a fantastical thought.


    ¡°That filthy swine injured my people. It¡¯s just their right hand, so consider it a warning. Does the Saintess not find this punishment appropriate?¡± Zhu Li spoke as if everything were a matter of course, as if He Xi should be the one thanking him for his ¡®punishment.¡¯


    ¡°You!¡± So it was the Soul-Locking Needle. Ruining her sword arm like this effectively removed the possibility of her wielding weapons.


    ¡°I¡¯ll give the Saintess a word of advice. Don¡¯t hold any illusions about the people of the central plains, especially men. Or you will end up just as Na Cuo¡¯s younger sister did, losing your heart and your life.¡± Zhu Li added ¡®kindly.¡¯


    He Xi clenched her fists. It was unwise of her to attack him at this juncture, ¡°I thank the Lord Left Envoy for the reminder.¡±


    Seeing He Xi admit defeat, Zhu Li was filled with even more joy. In his eyes, Luo Zhu and the followers of his ilk who liked the culture of the central plains, accepted followers from the central plains, and even converted those people casually were not in line with their religion. Now, he feared that the Manichaens would turn into the Manichaens of the central plains.


    When He Xi had joined the Manichaens, the leader, Azar, had long been in seclusion, but she had learned from Luo Zhu that after the leader suffered a qi deviation, his mood became unstable. His feelings toward the people of the central plains, which used to be friendly, turned into the desire for subjugation, and his wild ambition of conquering the central plains grew day by day. After being injured by Lu Yi, he could only retreat into seclusion. He entrusted the Manichaens to Luo Zhu, who loved the culture of the central plains, but this move caused Zhu Li¡¯s faction to grow dissatisfied. They had been looking for an opportunity to bring down Luo Zhu for a long time. At this critical moment, she had brought back Jiang Ling. She had thought originally to send Jiang Ling away after she had healed, but Na Cuo had taken advantage of the time when she was away to look for an opening. He Xi felt an indescribable strangeness about it, as if her every move was being monitored.


    Jiang Ling accidentally wounding Na Cuo had heightened the tensions between the two sides. Luo Zhu was her shifu, someone she looked up to like a father. She did not want to add to his worries, but Jiang Ling¡¯s right hand had been ruined. This would undoubtedly be a great blow to her.


    When He Xi returned to the Liuli Palace, Jiang Ling was still sitting beside the table, using her right hand to grip her tea cup, but as soon as she raised the cup a bit off the table, it slipped out of her hand. She caught the cup with her left hand and stared at He Xi wordlessly. She placed the cup lightly back on the table and smiled wryly, ¡°It seems I can¡¯t use it.¡±


    He Xi walked up to her slowly and held her right hand gently. The joints of Jiang Ling¡¯s hand looked sharp, but when held in her hand, they were actually fine and soft.


    ¡°Return tomorrow.¡± He Xi sighed, ¡°I¡¯ve let you down.¡±


    If she stayed for another day, the internal conflict within the group would only be exacerbated.


    Jiang Ling could not feel the touch of He Xi¡¯s palm too clearly. When she heard He Xi say this, she was able to put a few things together in her mind.


    ¡°Mhm.¡± This was already a better outcome than perishing in the desert.


    With her hand already ruined, there was no reason for her to linger. Her chance at revenge had slipped even further out of her grasp.


    ¡­


    The sun was setting to the west of the mountain.


    ¡°Lady Saintess, Jiang Ling has been sitting at the entrance for the whole day, holding her sword.¡± Na Xin said anxiously.


    ¡°Let her sit. Once she has thought everything over, she will rest on her own.¡±


    ¡°Where did you put the scar dispersing ointment from Grandmother A Xi?¡± Jiang Ling would be leaving tomorrow, so she had to give it to her.


    Na Xin had been distracted by the matter with Na Cuo and had already forgotten about it. He Xi¡¯s question prodded her memory.


    ¡°I will go grab it.¡±


    By the time He Xi received the scar dispersing ointment, Jiang Ling was no longer sitting at the entrance.


    He Xi knocked on Jiang Ling¡¯s door. There was no response. Thinking she was not inside, she pushed open the door.


    Jiang Ling was sitting on the bed, circulating her breath quietly. Her form, concealed behind the dusky pink curtain, was hazy.


    Hearing the knock, Jiang Ling opened her eyes.


    ¡°Scar dispersing ointment.¡± He Xi flashed the medicine jar, then pushed aside the curtain and entered. She placed the jar on the table.


    Jiang Ling stood up and walked to the table, taking the ointment with her left hand. It was in an exquisite, wooden container. Jiang Ling removed the lid. The scent of osmanthus flowers floated outward, the milky white ointment shimmering under the candle light. Jiang Ling closed the jar, ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°Do you need help?¡± He Xi stood with her hand placed on the table, gazing fixedly at Jiang Ling.


    ¡°What?¡± Jiang Ling gazed back at He Xi, not understanding her meaning. Help her with what?


    ¡°The caravan you¡¯re leaving with tomorrow is full of men. You¡¯re also dressing as a man. Are you planning on having a man apply the ointment for you?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Jiang Ling immediately shook her head.


    He Xi grabbed the jar out of Jiang Ling¡¯s hand, her fingers scraping along her palm. She retracted her hand and gently rubbed the center of her palm.


    He Xi raised her eyebrows and signaled for Jiang Ling to sit on the bed. Jiang Ling followed along, somewhat subconsciously.


    As He Xi reached out a hand to undo her waist belt, Jiang Ling felt the atmosphere become strange. She hurriedly pressed down on He Xi¡¯s hand at her waist.


    ¡°Shy?¡± He Xi knew that the people of the central plains were more reserved than the people of Xiyu, ¡°I¡¯ve already seen it many times when you were injured.¡±


    He Xi¡¯s explanation made Jiang Ling even more bashful. She mumbled, ¡°It¡¯s strange.¡±


    She had been muddled when she was injured, and afterward, she had been laying on the bed most of the time. Further, Na Xin could not communicate with her, so she had not been nearly as shy. Now, she was as red as a cooked shrimp.


    ¡°We¡¯re both women. What¡¯s strange about it.¡±


    First, sorry about the late chapter, life stuff happened, but I should be back on track this week.


    Second, I¡¯m a dummy dumb. For some reason I¡¯ve been reading Âåóà Luo Zhu as ¸ñÀ¼ Ge Lan this whole time and the pronunciation is legit completely different. I kind of thought it was weird, but didn¡¯t think too deeply about it? So, here we are lmaoooo. I¡¯m really sorry about that! By the time this chapter goes up, I should have gone back and fixed the previous chapters, but if you see any errors, please let me know.


    Third, I translated most of this chapter 3 beers and 1 glass of champagne deep into a 9 hour flight after spending the night on the floor of the Oslo Airport. So, again, please point out any errors, even if you aren¡¯t sure if it¡¯s an error or not.

 CH 24

    Chapter 24: A Farewell


    They were, indeed, both women.


    Jiang Ling would seem unreasonable if she kept acting shy. She sighed then turned to take off her belt.


    After some rustling, she folded up her belt and placed it on the head of the bed.


    Then her outer robes came off, revealing the white middle robe. Jiang Ling placed the outer robe to one side.


    He Xi stood at the head of the bed, watching Jiang Ling¡¯s movements from the other side of the half-draped bed curtain. Her mouth went dry. She went back to the table and poured herself a cup of cool water. When she returned to herself, Jiang Ling had removed her middle robe to her waist, revealing her smooth shoulders and the red string of her under robes tied around her slender, white neck and her waist. He Xi was unaware of her own breathing growing heavier. The soft, fair skin had been discordantly broken up by the wound and pink scar, which was incompatible with the surrounding skin.


    ¡°He Xi.¡± Jiang Ling turned to look at He Xi, who met her gaze as she sat beside the bed.


    ¡°Is it ugly?¡±


    ¡°No. It¡¯s beautiful.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to comfort me.¡±


    He Xi restrained her thoughts. She reached out and removed the lid of the medicine jar. She dabbed some medicine on the scar. Jiang Ling shrank back from the coolness of her touch.


    ¡°Hurts?¡±


    Jiang Ling shook her head, ¡°A little cold.¡±


    He Xi continued applying the medicine for Jiang Ling, her fingers trailing along Jiang Ling¡¯s back time after time. For a moment, no one spoke. The silence ignited, the atmosphere heated.


    ¡°He Xi, why do you treat me so well?¡± Jiang Ling broke the awkward tension.


    ¡°Killing your shixiong counts as treating you well?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    The two of them sank into silence again. It was always like this with them, having these kinds of odd exchanges before falling into silence.


    Jiang Ling¡¯s attention, with nothing to divert it, returned to her back. She felt herself grow hot. He Xi at last withdrew her fingers, and Jiang Ling could finally relax and breathe out a sigh of relief.


    ¡°Alright.¡± She spoke as she replaced the lid on the medicine jar and placed it at the head of the bed, ¡°You may put your clothes on after it has dried for a while.¡±


    ¡°Mm.¡± Jiang Ling replied dazedly, her expression blank. If she had not turned her back toward He Xi, she would have seen the sheen of sweat clinging to her forehead.


    ¡°Have your shijie apply the medicine after you return.¡± He Xi thought for a moment, ¡°I will have Na Xin prepare some rations for your journey to Zhangye tomorrow. You can pack your bags and set out at noon.¡±


    Jiang LIng nodded, keeping her back facing He Xi, who thought that her words just now had made Jiang Ling unwilling to talk. While the two of them had passed these two days somewhat amicably, without being at each other¡¯s throats, even if they returned to how they once were, Gu Yun¡¯s death would always hang between them, reminding them that they had no way to be friends.


    Since she would be saying farewell the next day, He Xi thought that the ending of this conversation went rather well. It would be best for her not to think of her. She was not a good person at all. Everything Jiang Ling suffered seemed to be due to her.


    He Xi shifted her gaze away from Jiang Ling¡¯s exposed shoulders and stared at her own fingers. The room was too stuffy. She stood, ¡°I¡¯m leaving.¡± Her fingers curled into her palm.


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Jiang Ling heard the sound of He Xi closing the door. Immediately, she flopped down onto the bed and covered her head with her pillow, ¡°So hot.¡±


    The heat from her back had spread throughout her body.


    As soon as she left the room, the fresh air alleviated He Xi¡¯s mood.


    Early the next morning, Na Xin arranged a camel with bags full of water and rations that she had prepared hanging from either side.


    Along with an exquisite saddle, the camel also had bells hanging from its neck. These bells were engraved with the holy fire, and thus conspicuously of the Manichaens. Anyone from Xiyu, regardless if they were a member or not, would show her some respect.


    Jiang Ling would be traveling with a trade caravan from Xiyu. As a person of the central plains, she would become an outsider in the caravan. For this reason, He Xi made especially sure to change the camel¡¯s bells, to let others know that the camel¡¯s owner had a connection to the Manichaens. Like this, she should avoid a great deal of unnecessary trouble.


    Jiang Ling had long already arranged her own things.


    ¡°Take care of yourself on the road. I¡¯ve had Na Xin prepare everything you will need, enough for you to reach Zhangye.¡±


    Meeting her had unexpectedly borne a reluctance to part. The time they had known each other was undoubtedly short, but it felt as if they had known each other for a long time. She wanted to express everything that she could, ¡°If you encounter someone who is infected with the febrile disease, put on your face covering and don¡¯t get close to them.¡±


    Jiang Ling¡¯s eyebrows shot up. So the Manichaens knew of this matter, as well.


    ¡°What is going on with this disease?¡± Jiang Ling asked, feeling her out.


    ¡°Unclear.¡± She had been going to investigate and had been delayed by Jiang Ling¡¯s arrival.


    By the look on He Xi¡¯s face, the febrile disease and the Manichaens should not be connected; it was just an ordinary febrile disease.


    Na Xin saw that the time had just about arrived, so she brought over the camel and gestured for her to join up with the caravan down the mountain.


    Jiang Ling mounted the camel. Her left hand gripped the reins while the other lightly draped over the saddle. Her face was full of fighting spirit, ¡°He Xi, wait until I learn to use my sword in my left hand. I will settle the score then.¡± Against the rays of morning light, her body was outlined by a beautiful golden light.


    He Xi¡¯s lips curled upward, ¡°I will be waiting for you.¡±


    Jiang Ling had always been an adaptable person. When she lacked internal force, she practiced swordwork based on nimble body movements, and if she could not beat someone, she would just run away. If her right hand could no longer hold a sword, then she would switch to her left hand. She was like an ant in the face of absolute power, whether it be foul weather conditions, He Xi herself, or someone even stronger than He Xi. If she wanted to take revenge for her shixiong, she had to become someone powerful.


    But, with He Xi, someone she had only known for a short while, her heart bent on revenge had already been deeply shaken. Jiang Ling did not know what in the world was wrong with her, but in her heart was an unparalleled longing for her and He Xi to be friends. Her reason told her ¡®No! No!¡¯, but so long as they remained in contact, Jiang Ling feared that she would forget about what happened to her shixiong. It was a good thing that she was returning. Once she did, she would have enough time to contemplate what to do with her and He Xi.


    The camel had traveled far away, and He Xi went to find Luo Zhu to explain that she was heading down to investigate the febrile disease.


    ¡°Have you sent away that central plains person?¡± Luo Zhu asked. The matter with Jiang Ling and He Xi had already reached his ears. Zhu Li had reported it many times to Luo Zhu, with the hope that he would reprimand He Xi, but Luo Zhu rejected this notion each and every time, making Zhu Li infuriated without an outlet on which to vent.


    He Xi said, ¡°By now, they should have already set off.¡±


    ¡°You and him?¡± Luo Zhu knew He Xi¡¯s disposition, but, after all, He Xi had kept Jiang Ling at her side for over a month, and was young and full of energy, besides. There were some things for which he ought to receive clarification.


    ¡°We are just friends. When I went out of the city, I found her[1] injured and saved her. She is almost fully healed, so I sent her back.¡± He Xi recognized the intention behind Luo Zhu¡¯s words, and remembering that Jiang Ling had always worn mens¡¯ robes, she explained to prevent an inevitable misunderstanding.


    ¡°As the Saintess, I trust that you know what¡¯s proper.¡± Upon clarifying this matter, the weight on Luo Zhu¡¯s shoulder¡¯s lightened, but he had other matters that were even more troubling, ¡°From what I can see, the leader is not doing very well. Sometimes well, sometimes ill. When clear-headed, he entrusts me with many tasks. But it is unclear when he will leave seclusion, and if forced out of seclusion, I fear there will be trouble.¡±


    ¡°Is the medicine not working?¡± The reason He Xi had gone to the central plains was twofold: first, she was to purchase precious herbs from the central plains to treat the leader, and second, she was to retrieve the Moon blade and resolve this significant issue for the leader.


    Luo Zhu did not answer He Xi and instead continued where he left off.


    ¡°If it were Zhu Li and his faction alone, I could handle them. But if the leader comes out of seclusion and still seeks, as before, to dominate the central plains, then it will be difficult for me to manage. My efforts these years will have been in vain.¡± Luo Zhu sighed and sat down, ¡°The leader was not like this before.¡±


    Luo Zhu told He Xi the story.


    When he was young, Luo Zhu had followed Azar. Azar had another person with him, a good friend of the central plains named Xue Fang. The two of them were like old friends upon the first meeting, as close as brothers. They even shared their own martial arts techniques with each other. Luo Zhu likewise had many opportunities to go to the central plains and fell deeply in love with the culture there.


    Both were crazy about the martial arts, but Azar would always lose to Xue Fang. The pride in Azar¡¯s bones did not permit him to be below Xue Fang, and so, when he returned to his sect, he studied a forbidden art, the demonic ¡®Return to the Beginning.¡¯ This art, while capable of increasing the martial arts capabilities of the wielder, allowing Azar to finally defeat Xue Fang, would also greatly alter their disposition and temperament. From then on, Azar became someone prone to anger, filled with a need to subjugate others. His dream to conquer the central plains was thus born.


    Luo Zhu pulled out an exquisite, wooden box and from inside, he took out the Holy Fire Order. The Holy Fire Order was shaped like fire; its wooden body was silvery-white, while the fire was blood red.


    ¡°Take this Holy Fire Order in case of trouble.¡± Luo Zhu handed the Holy Fire Order over to He Xi, ¡°Zhu Li¡¯s faction will soon create a disturbance. A fierce fight is inevitable. This Holy Fire Order could save your life at a critical moment.¡±


    ¡°Shifu, what about you?¡± He Xi accepted the Holy Fire Order, but the burden felt too heavy for her to bear.


    ¡°Do not fret. With the leader present, they will not do anything to me. Otherwise, the leader would not have entrusted me with the Manichaens. I just worry that, if you are not by my side, I will not have the opportunity to attend to your safety.¡± Luo Zhu saw that He Xi was weighed down with worry, ¡°There is no need for you to be anxious, I am just taking precautions. The trouble within the sect is just my guess, as well. You may investigate the febrile disease at ease. The most important thing right now is the common people of Xiyu.¡±


    Luo Zhu lowered his voice, ¡°And the leader has already entrusted me with the Ming blades so I may sink into the Lake of Rebirth.¡±


    ¡°Shifu!¡± He Xi did not dare continue to listen.


    ¡°Everything I have said is just a precaution, no need for you to worry. Afterward, you may decide on your own. Ever since you broke your dual blades, I have not seen you wield a blade.¡±


    He Xi had studied dual blades since she was a child, but after her blades were broken by an evildoer while rescuing Na Xin, she had not carried her blades again. She was nimble in body and quick with her wrist, so she always carried silver needles to protect herself. Furthermore, silver needles were very convenient to bring along, so He Xi soon grew accustomed to them instead.


    Luo Zhu patted He Xi¡¯s shoulder, then had her return.


    In a daze, He Xi walked along the return path. The split within their group was more severe than she had imagined. Zhu Li and his faction were just using the matter with Jiang Ling to stir up trouble; even without Jiang Ling, the increasing number of central plains caravans within the city was kindling that just needed a spark.


    Right now, she would investigate the matter of the febrile disease thoroughly, resolving the crisis faced by the commoners of Xiyu in the name of the Manichaens so either she or Luo Zhu may have a firmer standing within the sect.


    Jiang Ling: *takes off clothes*


    He Xi: *heavy breathing*

 CH 25

    Not long after He Xi returned to Liuli Palace, Na Xin arrived. She was teary, most likely because she was still sad about parting with Jiang Ling.


    ¡°Lady Saintess, Jiang Ling has left the city with the trade caravan.¡±


    ¡°Mm. Go notify A Na and Ye Qi and have them prepare men and supplies. We will head to the Shahai Village[1] tomorrow.¡±


    Shahai Village was originally a normal hamlet of Xiyu. Many passing caravans would stop here to rest, and gradually, Shahai Village became more and more prosperous, even opening a market. Some caravans would head directly to Shahai Village to acquire precious stones, and in no time, Shahai Village transformed into a famous trader¡¯s market of Xiyu. However, with the febrile disease spreading, Shahai Village, which had been so lively, had now become somewhere people did not dare travel to. One after the other, people there fell ill. At the outset, the number of patients was small, so it could be managed. As more and more people caught the disease, though, the medicine within the village sold out and became a precious commodity.


    Passing caravans also fell ill within Shahai Village, sometimes on their return journeys. They would become muddled with fever, and with timely treatment, would recover within seven days. Without that treatment, those of strong body would develop a cough and usually recover after about half a month. A small number of people who were not of firm physical health and did not see any improvements in half a month would be sent elsewhere by the villagers to let the disease run its course.


    There were some trade caravans unafraid of the disease because death was unlikely to occur. They could purchase medicine in the central plains and sell them in the affected villages for a much higher price. Even if they did get sick, it would still count as a ready profit.


    ¡­


    Jiang Ling left the city with the Xiyu caravan and once again entered that vast, sandy hell. Jiang Ling had barely escaped from this hell with her life, and now, it was difficult to not to think back on that life-or-death situation.


    The caravan was composed entirely of Xiyu people. Because they all thought that she was a central plains person with some connection to the Manichaens, they did not make things difficult for her. Some could speak the language of the central plains, but when they spoke with each other, they always spoke in the language of Xiyu. Jiang Ling could not understand their words, so there was a distance between her and the others.


    ¡°Are you from the central plains?¡± A youth, about thirteen or fourteen years of age, drew his camel close to Jiang Ling. The youth¡¯s hair was slightly curly, tumbling to his shoulders. His dark green irises were clear and artless. He wore a sleeveless robe and cape, with two silver bracelets on his wrist. He used Han to ask Jiang Ling.


    Jiang Ling nodded. The two of them fell back to the rear of the caravan.


    ¡°Really? I knew from the beginning that you were different from us. You¡¯re the first central plains person I¡¯ve seen.¡± The youth was a bit excited.


    Jiang Ling saw that the youth was likewise different from the other people in the caravan, as he did not carry any goods on his camel. He must have run away from home.


    ¡°My name is Zhuo Zhuo. You?¡± The youth spoke familiarly.


    ¡°Jiang Liu.¡± Jiang Ling answered with a random name, ¡°You speak Han quite well.¡±


    With the approval of someone from the central plains, Zhuo Zhuo was exceedingly happy. He tightened his fists, ¡°Truly? I learned it on the sly. If you say it¡¯s good, that¡¯s great.¡±


    ¡°Right, can I call you Jiang-dage[2]?¡± Jiang Ling did not expect him to ask this; she really could not accept this kind of address.


    ¡°Jiang Liu is fine.¡± Jiang Ling rejected this ¡®Jiang-dage¡¯.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you central plains people like addressing older brothers this way?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡± Jiang Ling was speechless, ¡°I don¡¯t. Call me Jiang Liu.¡±


    This Zhuo Zhuo seemed to love the central plains and knew quite a bit about it.


    Jiang Ling was pestered by Zhuo Zhuo and asked all kinds of questions. At the same time, she also found out that Zhuo Zhuo had an older brother who was involved in trade. He would often travel between Xiyu and the central plains and told her many interesting anecdotes about the place. Zhuo Zhuo always dreamed of going there and begged his family to let him travel with his brother. Because the family already had one son in business, and because trade caravans often encountered dangers on their travels, Zhuo Zhuo¡¯s parents did not agree to his request and did not allow him to go to the central plains with his brother. He asked his brother to secretly teach him Han, telling him that it was just a hobby when it was actually to make communication easy once he ran away to the central plains. Then, he made his preparations, stealing a bolt of high-quality silk and giving it to the leader of the caravan, requesting that they bring him along.


    The sky was growing dark, so the group set up their tents one after another and lit a fire to pass the night. With the way her right hand was, it was not easy for Jiang Ling to set up her tent. She planned to roll up into her woolen blanket and sit beside the fire. She had made it through two nights without a fire before, so this was already better than what she had to deal with previously.


    ¡°Jiang Liu, do you have a tent?¡± Zhuo Zhuo watched as she remained standing.


    ¡°I do, but I can¡¯t set it up.¡± Na Xin had indeed packed a simple tent for her, enough for only two people to fit inside, but because she could not use her right hand, she could not set it up.


    ¡°That¡¯s great, I can do it.¡± Zhuo Zhuo immediately ran over to Jiang Ling, ¡°Thanks to you, I have a place to sleep tonight.¡±


    With Jiang Ling¡¯s permission, Zhuo Zhuo nimbly removed the tent from the camel¡¯s back and set it up in no time.


    ¡°Go to sleep. I¡¯ll be outside.¡± Jiang Ling had Zhuo Zhuo go inside to sleep.


    ¡°It¡¯s so cold outside, you should come inside. It¡¯s your tent.¡± Zhuo Zhuo did not understand. They were both much smaller in build than the others, and the tent was quite spacious. Furthermore, he felt awkward taking Jiang Ling¡¯s tent.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t use the tent before.¡±


    ¡°Everyone uses a tent at night in the desert. If you don¡¯t go in, I won¡¯t go in.¡± Zhuo Zhuo was a bit angry. Jiang Ling was a little older than him, but still looked skinny, especially when compared to the stalwart men of Xiyu. If she spent the night outside, she would freeze half to death.


    Zhuo Zhuo walked over and sat down next to Jiang Ling, ¡°I won¡¯t sleep if you don¡¯t, either!¡± The fire¡¯s light shone on the youth¡¯s furious face.


    Jiang Ling did not accept his sentiments and just let him sit beside her.


    Soon, Zhuo Zhuo was shivering with cold, shaking like a leaf and even letting out a few sneezes. Jiang Ling sighed, ¡°Let¡¯s go inside the tent.¡±


    Zhuo Zhuo heard what she said, stood up, and slipped into the tent like a fish, squirming his way into the blanket.


    ¡°Wuuu¡ªit¡¯s too cold.¡±


    ¡°Go to sleep.¡± Jiang Ling sat to one side, practicing her heart-calming exercises.


    ¡°What are you doing, are you not going to sleep?¡±


    ¡°Treating an illness.¡±


    ¡°What illness?¡± Zhuo Zhuo thought she looked quite healthy.


    ¡°A mental illness.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Zhuo Zhuo loved getting to the bottom of things.


    ¡°I¡¯m messing with you. I¡¯m just circulating my qi.¡± Jiang Ling wanted to end this conversation topic quickly.


    ¡°You¡¯re a martial artist?¡± Zhuo Zhuo was even more enthusiastic now and sat straight up, ¡°Can you be my shifu?¡±


    ¡°Leave if you aren¡¯t sleeping.¡± Jiang Ling felt like beating him up.


    ¡°¡­¡± Zhuo Zhuo shut his mouth, afraid of making his future shifu mad.


    The youth¡¯s breathing soon evened out, and Jiang Ling could at last settle down. After her fight with Na Cuo, that stifling feeling from three years ago had returned. Her heart was agitated. Jiang Ling herself did not know what was wrong with her, so she could only circulate her qi each day and slowly rectify her own condition.


    At dawn the next day, Zhuo Zhuo eagerly helped Jiang Ling arrange her supplies. He stared at Jiang Ling with avid interest, ¡°Shifu, please accept me as a disciple[3].¡±


    ¡°¡­¡± Jiang Ling turned around.


    ¡°Please, I¡¯m begging you[4].¡± Zhuo Zhuo circled around to Jiang Ling¡¯s front again.


    ¡°No.¡± Jiang Ling refused.


    ¡°Why?¡± Zhuo Zhuo was not willing to give up.


    ¡°Because I don¡¯t have any strength in my right hand. I can¡¯t use a sword.¡± Jiang Ling was worried that Zhuo Zhuo would pester her with questions endlessly, so she spoke honestly.


    ¡°¡­¡± This time, Zhuo Zhuo was speechless from surprise.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I shouldn¡¯t have brought up matters that are painful for you.¡± Zhuo Zhuo apologized, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll still treat you with the same respect as I would if you were my shifu. I¡¯ll protect you.¡±


    Jiang Ling laughed as she poked Zhuo Zhuo¡¯s forehead and pushed him away, ¡°What kind of disciple protects their shifu?¡±


    ¡­


    ¡°Set off!¡± The caravan¡¯s leader shouted. The caravan¡¯s members headed back out into the windy desert to continue their journey. After traveling for half a day, they came upon an oasis. Even though the oasis was the largest village Jiang Ling had been to since leaving the Manichaens, the caravan did not seem to have the intention of stopping.


    ¡°What are they saying?¡± Jiang Ling heard the Xiyu people in front discussing something solemnly and wanted to know what they were saying.


    ¡°They said that Shahai Village has many cases of the febrile disease. We won¡¯t go over there, but will rest under the trees at the outskirts of the oasis. We will restock at the next place, Yongquan VIllage[5].¡±


    ¡°The febrile disease is so severe, yet people still live there?¡± Jiang Ling looked into the distance. It was not as desolate as she thought.


    ¡°I heard that once people get it, they cannot get sick again. So, the people who have recovered stayed there to take care of the sick people. Regardless, they don¡¯t want to leave their homes and way of life.¡±


    The caravan entered the oasis and searched for a shaded place to rest. Jiang Ling and Zhuo Zhuo followed them to rest, as well. The caravan members were afraid of being infected, so each person wore a cloth over their faces and sat down without wandering around recklessly.


    Jiang Ling likewise pulled up her scarf to cover her nose and mouth. Zhuo Zhuo pulled out his canteen, wanting to drink some water, ¡°I¡¯m out of water.¡± Zhuo Zhuo tipped his canteen over, and sure enough, there was not even a single drop of water inside.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go draw some water.¡± Zhuo Zhuo pulled up his face covering and went to find a well.


    Jiang Ling stopped him, ¡°Don¡¯t go. Drink mine.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯ll find a well without anyone around. If I encounter anyone, I¡¯ll stay away from them. Don¡¯t waste your water.¡± After he finished speaking, he ran off.


    Zhuo Zhuo did not spend too much time getting water, and as the rest of the caravan had already rested enough, they set out for Yongquan Village.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I stayed more than ten zhang away from the others.¡± Zhuo Zhuo shook his canteen and took a big drink from it.


    The two of them went to follow the caravan.


    Yongquan Village was half a day¡¯s journey from Shahai Village. By the time they settled down in Yongquan Village, the day was already over.


    Yongquan Village was small, but after all the trade caravans started detouring around Shahai Village, Yongquan Village now had quite a few inns. They found an inn to stay at, and Jiang Ling helped Zhuo Zhuo pay for a room.


    Zhuo Zhuo was moved to tears, ¡°Jiang Liu treats me so well! Wait until I make my fortune and I¡¯ll invite you to the biggest inn in town!¡±


    ¡°No need.¡± Jiang Liang sent away Zhuo Zhuo to rest, and finally, she could have some peace and quiet.


    The next day, when the caravan wanted to continue moving forward, Jiang Ling discovered that Zhuo Zhuo had not come out yet and went to knock on his door.


    ¡°Don¡¯t¡­don¡¯t come in¡­¡± Zhuo Zhuo¡¯s voice called out weakly from inside.


    ¡°Zhuo Zhuo, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Jiang Ling leaned against the doorway and asked.


    ¡°I¡­I seem to have a fever.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡± Jiang Ling stood in place, dumbfounded.

 CH 26

    Chapter 26: Falling Ill


    ¡°You should leave first. I¡¯ll catch up when I¡¯m well again.¡± Zhuo Zhuo said.


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Hey, central plains person. Why hasn¡¯t that child gotten up yet.¡± The others in the caravan, impatient to leave, sent someone over to hasten them. Seeing Jiang Ling standing at the entrance, he went to enter, but was halted by Jiang Ling.


    ¡°He seems to have a fever.¡± Jiang Ling had no choice but to disclose Zhuo Zhuo¡¯s situation.


    As if coming face-to-face with a plague god themselves, the man swiftly took a few steps back, even putting some distance between himself and Jiang Ling, before saying, ¡°How unlucky,¡± and bolting away.


    Soon, the uneven tinkling of the camels¡¯ bells sounded. Jiang Ling ran over and stopped them.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you care that you¡¯re leaving him behind here?!¡±


    ¡°You deal with him, then. We still have business to take care of, and we don¡¯t want him to spread the disease to all of us.¡± The caravan¡¯s leader said, ¡°Follow us if you want to leave.¡±


    The leader¡¯s words were not without reason. The whole caravan could not stop for only Zhuo Zhuo, but she also could not leave behind Zhuo Zhuo to follow the others.


    Jiang Ling took two steps back to let them pass.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t think a central plains person would be so steadfast.¡± The leader took out a packet of medicine from his supplies and gave it to Jiang Ling, ¡°Take this.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡± Jiang Ling¡¯s eyes followed the caravan as it left the village.


    Jiang Ling returned to the inn but found that Zhuo Zhuo was nowhere to be seen.


    ¡°Where¡¯s the one who was staying in this room?¡± Jiang Ling asked an assistant.


    The assistant did not know how to speak the language of the central plains. With his gestures, he was likely saying that the innkeeper, having learned that someone at the inn was infected with the febrile disease, drove him away.


    Jiang Ling hurried out of the inn in search of Zhuo Zhuo. She spotted him near an earthen wall not too far away. He was wearing his face covering and leaning weakly against the wall, his fever high.


    With Zhuo Zhuo¡¯s current appearance, it was impossible to find somewhere to stay in Yongquan Village. Jiang Ling found the assistant again and gave him a bit of money to help her put up her tent.


    ¡°Zhuo Zhuo, the tent is ready. You should go inside and rest.¡± Jiang Ling called out to Zhuo Zhuo twice. Zhuo Zhuo was not yet muddled by his fever, so upon hearing Jiang Ling¡¯s words, he trotted over and laid down in the tent.


    ¡°Jiang Liu, it¡¯s my fault. I¡¯ve gotten you involved.¡± Zhuo Zhuo¡¯s voice carried a trace of sobs.


    ¡°You should rest well, don¡¯t speak. This illness isn¡¯t life-threatening. We¡¯ll follow the next caravan to the central plains once you¡¯re better.¡± Jiang Ling said patiently, ¡°I¡¯ll give you some medicine.¡±


    Jiang Ling was absolutely vigilant about the amount of contact she had with Zhuo Zhuo. She always kept her face covering over her face, and when she prepared medicine, she would place it by the front of the tent for Zhuo Zhuo to take on his own.


    The medicine that the caravan leader had given her was not in large quantity and ran out in two days. Zhuo Zhuo¡¯s fever came and went, but because there were not any more severe symptoms, the both of them felt quite grateful.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go buy you some more medicine.¡±


    Jiang Ling ran around Yongquan Village but could not buy any medicine. The apothecary¡¯s owner told her that the village¡¯s supply of this kind of fever-reducing medication had all been purchased by the apothecary and other citizens of Shahai Village. The Manichaens had also purchased a decent amount. There was not much medicine remaining in Yongquan Village, so if she wanted to buy some, she needed to go to Shahai Village.


    Jiang Ling wrapped up her belongings and rode on her camel to Shahai Village.


    There was a portion of villagers in Shahai Village that had already recovered from the illness and lived their lives as they normally would. Jiang Ling found the apothecary, but the owner shook his head and said: ¡°All of it was just purchased by the Manichaens.¡±


    The apothecary owner also advised her that, as a citizen of the central plains, she ought to leave the village sooner rather than later. About one month prior, a central plains caravan had not even been in Shahai Village for two days before falling ill and returned without purchasing anything. Jiang Ling felt her heart constrict. She thought that the caravan must have been Shen Xiuqi and the others. If they had only gone to Shahai Village and not Yongquan Village, then their mission was probably in vain.


    After a half-a-day¡¯s journey under the blazing sun, Jiang Ling felt hot and uncomfortable. She took a rest and drank some water in a patch of shade.


    She sat beneath a tree, thinking of what to do next. She did not know which side the Manicheans that had purchased the medicine were on. If they were He Xi¡¯s people, then she could still have a chance, but if they were Na Cuo¡¯s people, then it would be much more difficult.


    Just at that moment, a familiar silhouette appeared before Jiang Ling.


    ¡°Na Xin!¡± Jiang Ling called out joyfully.


    Beside Na Xin was a person of Xiyu, a tall, bearded man: Ye Qi.


    ¡°Jiang Ling!¡± The two of them exchanged greetings, unsure of how to speak with each other.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that the Saintess¡¯ little toy boy[1]?¡± Ye Qi leaned over and asked quietly, his mouth covered.


    ¡°Ye Qi, can you speak Han?¡± Na Xin asked.


    ¡°I can.¡±


    With Ye Qi as a translator, the two of them could hold a conversation. Na Xin told her that they had come with the Saintess to help the infected villagers. He Xi had everyone bring all of the infected villagers together near the outskirts of the village so they could be cared for as one group. She remained over there.


    Ye Qi and Na Xin had come to purchase medicine together. Hearing that Jiang Ling¡¯s friend was ill, Na Xin gave Jiang Ling some medicine and money, for which Jiang Ling thanked her. Na Xin laughed: ¡°Aside from your sword and the clothes on your back, what item do you have that isn¡¯t the Saintess¡¯.¡±


    Jiang Ling felt embarrassed. She scratched her head, ¡°I have a skillset in the central plains and I can earn a lot of money. Once I do, I¡¯ll repay you all.¡± Who knew if Wang Tianqi would want an escort that couldn¡¯t even use her sword.


    Jiang Ling asked Na Xin not to inform He Xi about her arrival and hurried back to Yongquan Village.


    ¡­


    ¡°Lady Saintess, Jiang Ling was here just now.¡± As soon as she returned, Na Xin told He Xi about Jiang Ling.


    He Xi put down the medicine that she was holding, ¡°Hasn¡¯t she traveled far away by now?¡±


    ¡°She said that a friend she met along the way fell ill. She stayed behind to take care of him, so she came over to buy some medicine.¡±


    ¡°A friend she met along the way. Could you have someone see who he is?¡± After personally taking care of her for several days, she felt a strange discomfort in her heart.


    ¡°How did she look to you?¡± He Xi asked.


    ¡°Good. She looked healthy.¡±


    After hearing this, He Xi continued what she was doing. Even though the ill had been gathered together and separated from the healthy, sick villagers were still being sent over.


    Just what was the source of this illness?


    ¡­


    Jiang Ling returned to Yongquan Village and prepared some of the medicine for Zhuo Zhuo.


    Zhuo Zhuo drank the medicine and said from inside the tent: ¡°You¡¯ve been gone all day. You went to Shahai Village to buy medicine, didn¡¯t you.¡±


    Jiang Ling silently admitted it.


    ¡°It¡¯s all my fault. You don¡¯t need to care for me, I might be fine in a few more days. The illness is so powerful. I kept my distance, didn¡¯t encounter anyone sick, and still fell ill.¡± Zhuo Zhuo blamed himself completely; it was his fault that Jiang Ling left the caravan, and it was his fault that Jiang Ling had to go to Shahai Village.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take care of myself, don¡¯t worry. Drink your medicine and get some rest. I¡¯ll go back and sleep.¡±


    Under Jiang Ling¡¯s care, Zhuo Zhuo fully recovered within a week. Jiang Ling had not caught the illness, so the two of them readied their things and waited for the next caravan to take them to the central plains. Zhuo Zhuo ran around to a few places to buy some rations and went to find a well, refilling their canteens with fresh water.


    They asked around in the village and learned that trade caravans would pass through the village about every ten to fourteen days, but sometimes they would go to different villages. If they were lucky, they could find a caravan heading to the central plains in two days.


    The two of them walked around the village, hoping to find a few small things to bring back to the central plains. Under the relentless sun, Jiang Ling felt dizzy, like she had heatstroke. She had Zhuo Zhuo continue on his own and went back on her own to rest.


    After returning to the inn, Jiang Ling had a few gulps of water but did not feel any better. Jiang Ling rubbed her forehead, saying bitterly: ¡°Seems like we won¡¯t be catching this caravan.¡±


    Zhuo Zhuo returned to find Jiang Ling looking ill and felt a sense of alarm. Jiang Ling explained that she had most likely caught the disease, so she had Zhuo Zhuo gather her things together and headed into the tent to rest.


    Zhuo Zhuo started to cry out of sadness.


    ¡°It¡¯s too tiring taking care of you, how about you take care of me instead.¡±  Jiang Ling pulled the corners of her lips upward. Her cheeks were unhealthily flushed and sweat gathered at her temples.


    ¡°You¡¯re still joking around. Quickly, go lay down. I¡¯ll prepare some medicine for you.¡± Zhuo Zhuo wiped away his tears, supported Jiang Ling as she laid down, then covered her with a blanket.


    As Jiang Ling lay inside the tent, she gazed up at the lightly wobbling canvas above her head as the wind jostled it. The hot air from her exhalations made her screw her eyes shut, her eyes veiled in a sheen of cloudiness.


    After drinking the medicine for a few days, Jiang Ling showed no signs of improvement. Soon, she started to sleep longer than she was awake, and Zhuo Zhuo paced anxiously, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you would be fine after drinking the medicine for a few days? Why are you getting even worse?¡±


    ¡°Cough cough!¡±


    Jiang Ling started coughing that night. Zhuo Zhuo, who was sitting nearby with his legs crossed, dozing off, was awoken by this bout of coughing. Zhuo Zhuo became even more anxious. This was a sign of worsening symptoms. If there was no improvement, then they would be sent off by the villagers to some unknown place, left to be buried in the sand.


    At dawn the next day, Zhuo Zhuo ran off to find the doctor so they could attend to Jiang Ling. The doctor was old and immediately refused to treat a patient with this kind of illness.


    When Zhuo Zhuo returned, Jiang Ling had already woken up. Seeing Zhuo Zhuo crestfallen face, Jiang Ling wagered that Zhuo Zhuo had been met with rejection. She said, her voice hoarse from the coughing, ¡°Don¡¯t make things difficult for the villagers. I¡¯ll be fine after taking the medicine for a few more days, cough¡­cough¡­¡± After speaking two sentences, Jiang Ling started to cough ceaselessly. She shut her eyes, listless.


    Zhuo Zhuo sat beside her quietly, accompanying her.


    ¡°Jiang Liu, have you seen the sea?¡± Zhuo Zhuo suddenly pondered aloud, ¡°My older brother said that the sea was like the desert, that you can¡¯t see the end of it. But the sea is also different from the desert in that instead of sand, the sea is full of water.¡±


    Jiang Ling blearily blinked open her eyes. Her muddled gaze flickered. Zhuo Zhuo knew that she had heard his words. He added, ¡°I never thought that water could be so much like sand. My brother also said that the water was as blue as the sky, that it must contain the heavens.¡± The youth¡¯s deep green irises flashed with yearning and longing, ¡°Once you are better, we¡¯ll go see the sea together.¡±


    ¡°The sea¡­¡± Jiang Ling squeezed her eyes shut, tears streaming out of their corners. There was someone else who once said they would go to the sea together.


    Jiang Ling¡¯s coughing echoed through the village, making the villagers very dissatisfied. Zhuo Zhuo had no choice but to carry Jiang Ling to the outskirts of the village.


    With this tossing about and the exposure to the wind and sun, Jiang Ling¡¯s body could not handle it. Her condition worsened. Zhuo Zhuo could not wake her even after calling several times.


    ¡°Jiang Liu, hold on. I¡¯ll go get you a doctor!¡±


    Zhuo Zhuo rushed out into the desert on his camel, heading toward Shahai Village.

 CH 27

    Chapter 27: Admitting Defeat


    Zhuo Zhuo circled Shahai Village but was unable to find a single doctor. After asking the villagers, he learned that the Manichaens had brought them to a more suitable location at the back of the village to care for the sick patients.


    Dozens of tents were raised at the back of the village, with patients resting inside each of them. Three doctors ran about tirelessly, treating them. A few Manichean disciples prepared medicine off to one side.


    Zhuo Zhuo passed through and caught a doctor, who was about forty years of age, ¡°Doctor, someone I know is severely ill. He¡¯s been coughing for several days now. Please save him, sir.¡±


    ¡°Where is he?¡± Upon hearing about the severity of the illness, the doctor naturally wanted to help.


    ¡°Yongquan Village.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± Currently, the doctor had been called in by the Saintess to treat the patients. It was a half-a-day¡¯s journey to Yongquan Village; going there and back would waste an entire day. He would be leaving behind so many sick patients, and he was afraid that the remaining doctors would not be able to cope. Additionally, the Saintess had not given him permission.


    ¡°We can¡¯t wait, or he¡¯ll die!¡± Zhuo Zhuo did not care about the distressed look on the doctor¡¯s face and just started dragging him off.


    ¡°Young man, don¡¯t make things difficult for me. Yongquan Village is too far away.¡±


    Their struggle drew the attention of the Manichaen disciples. They walked over and asked Zhuo Zhuo: ¡°That doctor is needed here. If you want him to treat your friend, bring him over here!¡±


    ¡°I would¡¯ve already brought him over if I could!¡± Zhuo Zhuo stamped his feet with urgency, wanting to just haul the doctor away by his clothing.


    Seeing that Zhuo Zhuo was stirring up trouble, the disciple in front wrapped Zhuo Zhuo¡¯s arm in an arm lock behind his back and kicked him down to the ground. Zhuo Zhuo cried out in shock and pain. Seeing the Holy Fire embroidered on his assailants¡¯ belts, he shouted, ¡°The Manichaens beat people! The Manichaens hit people! Whoever said they were helping the common people of Xiyu was just spewing nonsense!¡±


    ¡°Little brat, you misjudge others!¡± After listening to Zhuo Zhuo¡¯s ravings, the disciple clamped their hand over his mouth. As before, Zhuo Zhuo worked to make their lives difficult. He bit the disciple¡¯s hand and continued his lombasting.


    ¡­


    In an exquisite tent nearby, He Xi was sitting by her desk, flipping through a medical text. Zhuo Zhuo¡¯s ruckus and noise passed through into the tent.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on outside? Ye Qi, go take a look.¡± For the past few days, He Xi had been constantly searching through various medical texts for previous cases of disease outbreak and looked exhausted. Her temples throbbed due to the noise outside.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Ye Qi accepted the order.


    In no time, Ye Qi swept aside the tent flap and walked in, ¡°Saintess, it¡¯s the child that¡¯s accompanying that handsome young man[1].¡±


    Ye Qi had gone to Yongquan Village previously to check on who Jiang Ling was taking care of.


    He Xi rubbed her temples, ¡°Why havet they left yet.¡± They had already been delayed by more than a fortnight.


    ¡°That child said that there¡¯s someone in his family that¡¯s fatally ill, and that he came to find a doctor. The doctor wouldn¡¯t go, so there was a ruckus. He also slandered the holy faith, so the followers disciplined him.¡±


    ¡°Family member?¡± He Xi did not dare to imagine further.


    ¡°They¡¯re named Jiang Liu.¡±


    ¡°Clang¡ª¡± He Xi suddenly stood up, overturning the table.


    ¡°You and A Na stay here and call over Grandmother A Xi. I will go with her.¡±


    Zhuo Zhuo had not expected that, due to his brawl, the Manichaen Saintess would say that she would bring along the Manichaen witch doctor and return with him.


    Na Xin also started to bustle about and get things prepared. Zhuo Zhuo then led the two of them back to Yongquan Village.


    Ye Qi and Na Xin stood at the head of the village watching the three of them leave.


    ¡°Seems like the Saintess really likes that toy boy from the central plains. No wonder the Saintess hasn¡¯t so much as glanced at the men here in Xiyu. She must like dainty ones.¡± Ye Qi scratched his chin.


    Na Xin said nothing, looking at Ye Qi with sympathy, then turned around and went back.


    It was dark by the time the three of them reached Yongquan Village. When He Xi saw that Jiang Ling was staying in a simple, crude tent, a little bit of her internal fury slipped into her words, ¡°The sick here live like this?¡±


    ¡°The people at the inn won¡¯t let us stay there. The villagers were annoyed by Jiang Liu¡¯s coughing and afraid that they would catch the sickness, so they pushed us over here.¡±


    Zhuo Zhuo opened the tent flap, but the tent was completely empty, ¡°Where¡¯s Jiang Liu? He¡¯s not here.¡±


    ¡°Could she have left on her own?¡± He Xi asked urgently.


    ¡°She[2] couldn¡¯t even talk, so how could she leave on her own.¡± Zhuo Zhuo said, teary-eyed.


    ¡°Go ask the villagers.¡± He Xi said with a solemn expression.


    Zhuo Zhuo immediately ran and knocked on the doors of several villagers, who said that the village leader called them to bring a dying person over to the southwest burial mounds.


    ¡°He¡¯s not dead!¡± Zhuo Zhuo did not waste his time with them and ran to find He Xi. He Xi was searching around the whole village for Jiang Ling but did not find her, leaving the witch doctor A Xi to handle things at the inn.


    ¡°Jiang Liu was left in the burial mounds!¡± Zhuo Zhuo shouted as soon as he saw He Xi.


    He Xi¡¯s expression grew even more serious. Using her qinggong, she swept Zhuo Zhuo up and brought him along, following his directions to hurry toward the burial mounds. Zhuo Zhuo did not have room in his mind to feel the exhilaration of flying; he only wanted to find Jiang Ling as fast as possible.


    ¡­


    Inside the Manichaen Palace of Light


    ¡°AHHHH! WHERE IS MY MEDICINE!¡± Azar swept everything off of the table, the medicine jars and medical scrolls clattering to the floor.


    Zhu Li knelt by himself, his left hand slanted across his chest, ¡°Leader, please remain calm. This subordinate has ordered the medicine to be brought.¡±


    ¡°Just scram. Go tell your useless subordinates to bring it faster.¡± Azar¡¯s eyes were thoroughly red, blue veins popping out of his forehead.


    ¡°Understood!¡± Zhu Li retreated, his body lowered. After exiting, his originally obedient and respectful expression revealed a trace of viciousness.


    ¡­


    ¡°Who is that?¡± Zhuo Zhuo saw a Manichaen disciple carrying a sack over their shoulder not too far away. With a glance, He Xi saw that they were one of Na Cuo¡¯s people. She tapped her foot and turned, putting Zhuo Zhuo down in front of the disciple.


    ¡°A Lu, what are you doing here.¡± He Xi asked. The disciple, named A Lu, did not think that the Saintess would drop out of the sky and was frightened. His lips quivered, ¡°Answering the Saintess, Lord Protector Na Cuo ordered his subordinates to gather medicine for the leader.¡±


    ¡°What medicine?¡± He Xi took a step forward, wanting to get to the bottom of it.


    ¡°Saintess-jiejie, don¡¯t waste time. Let¡¯s go save Jiang Liu.¡± Zhuo Zhuo could not refrain from urging. This Saintess-jiejie was talking with others at a time like this. He Xi swept a suspicious look over A Lu, then rushed toward the burial mounds. While approaching the burial mounds, He Xi heard a faint coughing sound, but after scouring the burial mounds, she did not find Jiang Ling¡¯s figure.


    ¡°Jiang Liu!¡± Zhuo Zhuo shouted at the burial mounds. Only his own echo answered him. For some reason, He Xi started to feel panicked. She had clearly just heard the sound of coughing. How could it just disappear? Just now¡ªA Lu! That coughing must have been coming from the sack carried on A Lu¡¯s back! He Xi immediately went to pursue A Lu.


    ¡°Saintess-jiejie, where are you going? Wait for me!¡± Zhuo Zhuo ran behind He Xi but soon fell behind.


    ¡­


    ¡°A Lu!¡±


    A Lu did not expect that after only a bit of time had passed, the Saintess would land in front of him again. ¡°What kind of medicine would you need this sack for?¡± He Xi narrowed her eyes at A Lu, who felt his entire body break out in goosebumps under her stare.


    ¡°The sect has strictly instructed disciples to not engage in the sale or purchase of humans.¡±


    A Lu felt as though the sack weighed ten thousand jin, suffocating him, ¡°This subordinate¡­this subordinate was only following orders.¡±


    ¡°Cough¡­cough cough.¡± A weak cough came from inside of the sack. ¡°Put them down. Scram.¡± He Xi¡¯s tone was ice cold.


    A Lu promptly dropped the sack, a low groan sounding from inside. He Xi¡¯s face grew even colder.


    A Lu said: ¡°Lady Saintess, the person is here. This subordinate will withdraw.¡± A Lu swiftly retreated, but before he could even take a few steps, he collapsed to the ground with a grunt. A silver needle had pierced his right leg. A Lu clutched his leg in pain, wailing as he clamored back to where he came from.


    ¡°Crawl back to your owner and tell him that he will never be able to lead the Manichaens.¡± He Xi said, then immediately knelt down and pulled Jiang Ling out of the sack. The silvery moonlight cascaded down onto Jiang Ling¡¯s quietly sleeping face. With a slight flush in her cheeks and shallow breaths, she slept calmly, unaware of what just happened to her.


    He Xi¡¯s brow smoothed out, as if she was admitting defeat, then she hugged Jiang Ling close to herself, ¡°Jiang Ling, what am I going to do with you?¡±


    ¡°You¡­you both¡­¡± Zhuo Zhuo just happened to meet with the sight of He Xi embracing Jiang Ling as he arrived. He Xi lifted her gaze to glance at Zhuo Zhuo, then picked Jiang Ling up, ¡°Go back on your own.¡± In the blink of an eye, she and Jiang Ling disappeared into the night.


    Zhuo Zhuo seemed to have discovered something incredible. Saintess-jiejie and Jiang Liu¡­


    When He Xi carried Jiang Ling back to the inn, the witch doctor A Xi was already waiting for them at the door. She led He Xi inside and settled Jiang Ling in.


    A Xi checked Jiang Ling¡¯s pupils and felt her pulse, then put the back of her hand on Jiang Ling¡¯s forehead, ¡°This happened because she has not fully recovered from her wounds and then fell ill, so her condition is more serious than ordinary people. I will make a prescription. Once it¡¯s decocted, have her drink it. First we will relieve the heat, then everything else will be easier.¡±


    ¡°Cough¡­cough cough,¡± Jiang Ling¡¯s coughing was even more fierce than it was during the past few days, almost as if she was going to cough her lungs up. He Xi went forward to help Jiang Ling, but was stopped by A Xi¡¯s piercing look. She passed her a packet of medicine, ¡°Why don¡¯t you go decoct medicine.¡± He Xi had always thought of A Xi as her elder, and A Xi had likewise never regarded He Xi as the Manichaen¡¯s Saintess, but as her own granddaughter instead. These words would not be offensive to her.


    He Xi left the room. A Xi helped Jiang Ling through her coughing fit, then sighed.


    After about half an incense stick¡¯s time, Zhuo Zhuo had returned to Yongquan Village. Seeing He Xi sitting by the entrance preparing medicine, Zhuo Zhuo felt a trace of carefree happiness in his heart. When he was being beaten black and blue by the Saintess-jiejie¡¯s lackeys, he did not think that their owner would actually personally decoct medicine for Jiang Liu.


    ¡°Saintess-jie¡­¡±


    ¡°Come make some medicine.¡± Zhuo Zhuo had not even finished speaking before He Xi left him behind at the stove and returned to the inn.


    ¡­


    Outside of the Manichaen Thousand Autumns Palace, A Lu shivered as he knelt, ¡°Lord Protector, they were taken away by the Saintess. She also said¡­that you could never become the leader¡­¡±


    ¡°Useless thing.¡± Na Cuo kicked A Lu, ¡°Did the Saintess discover anything?¡±


    A Lu scrambled up from the ground then resumed kneeling, ¡°The Saintess only thought we were engaging in human trafficking.¡±


    ¡°Mm.¡±


    ¡°The leader¡¯s medicine?¡± A Lu was still concerned that the leader would blame him for the loss of the medicine.


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry about that. I¡¯ve already prepared it.¡± A silver light flashed. A Lu¡¯s neck started to gush blood. He grabbed his neck and stared at Na Cuo, stunned. Blood poured out of his mouth. A Lu tried to speak, but could not get the words out. Na Cuo looked at him scornfully, ¡°It¡¯s you.¡± As A Lu heard these words, the light left his bloodshot eyes, and his body collapsed lifelessly to the floor.

 CH 28

    ¡°Leader, your medicine has arrived.¡± Zhu Li presented a serving tray with a bowl of medicine. That medicine was not actual medicine, but a bowl of human blood.


    Azar, with bloodshot eyes and the appearance of an evil tiger attacking a sheep, raised the bowl and swallowed the blood in one gulp. He shut his eyes and let out a relieved sigh. He circulated his qi, then, when he opened his eyes again, the blood vessels disappeared from his eyes as they returned to normal.


    ¡°Zhu Li, you¡¯ve handled this well.¡±


    ¡°All was the blessings of the Father.¡± Zhu Li lowered his head in salute, ¡°But that Luo Zhu has been enabling the Saintess more and more, even bringing an uninitiated central plains person back to the sect.¡±


    ¡°This lord already knows of this matter, and this lord knows that you dislike people of the central plains. If my Manichaen Sect is to one day rule the central plains, we cannot act rashly now.¡± Back then, Azar had hastily expanded Manichaeism into the central plains, creating dissatisfaction amongst the many sects there. Furthermore, because he practiced the demonic art of ¡®Returning to the Beginning,¡¯ he became impulsive and crazy with impatience, harming the disciples of the Qingshan Sect, which he was previously on good terms with, and intensified the conflict between the Manichaens and Wulin of the central plains. In the end, he was met with failure and retreated back to Xiyu for many years, leaving everything in the care of Luo Zhu.


    Over the years, there had been improvements, and Longxi had friendly relations with them. Eventually, they would return to the central plains. However, this ¡®Returning to the Beginning¡¯ art was poisonous. Originally, he had only needed Luo Zhu¡¯s assistance to purchase medicine from the central plains to suppress the poison. In the past year, he had grown bloodthirsty. When Zhu Li had arrived, he had gone crazy and killed his subordinate, only returning to normal once he consumed his blood. Now, he relied on Zhu Li, who brought him a bowl of fresh heart¡¯s blood each month.


    Azar looked at Zhu Li¡¯s respectful appearance. He had really exerted himself for Azar this past half a year. He said: ¡°If Luo Zhu and the Saintess repeat their offenses, this lord will punish them both severely.¡±


    ¡°The leader is wise.¡± Zhu Li withdrew from the Palace of Light.


    Na Cuo was standing outside of the palace. When he saw Zhu Li come out, he immediately started to follow him, ¡°How is the leader? If it hadn¡¯t been for He Xi¡¯s meddling this time, I wouldn¡¯t have had to lose a subordinate.¡±


    First, He Xi had brought back that central plains person who had hurt him, then she had made him lose a subordinate with her actions. This account must be settled with He Xi.


    ¡°That old thing is still protecting Luo Zhu.¡± Zhu Li said through gritted teeth, ¡°When the time comes, I¡¯ll send off his Luo Zhu myself!¡±


    ¡­


    By the time Jiang Ling woke up, her fever had already receded. ¡°The inn? Cough cough cough.¡± Her voice was hoarse. Her mouth felt dry, so she wanted to crawl over and drink some water. Just then, a silhouette flashed at the doorway and someone entered.


    ¡°He Xi?¡± Jiang Ling was astonished. Why was He Xi here? Furthermore, she was not wearing her veil, so her beautiful face was exposed. Jiang Ling immediately pulled the blankets up over her nose, ¡°He Xi, leave, quickly!¡±


    ¡°Do you want some water?¡± He Xi came forward, paying Jiang Ling¡¯s reaction no heed. She walked to the table and poured some water for Jiang Ling, then sat by the bedside and passed the cup over to Jiang Ling.


    ¡°You should leave. I caught the febrile disease, I could¡­cough cough¡­pass it to you!¡± Jiang Ling wrapped herself in the blanket and retracted into the back corner of the bed.


    He Xi¡¯s lips hooked upward, ¡°The Manichaens receive the protection of the Father, so we don¡¯t catch the disease.¡± Jiang Ling, as before, did not believe her. She definitely would not draw near He Xi.


    ¡°I was in Shahai Village for half a month before coming here and it was so. If you don¡¯t believe me, just ask Zhuo Zhuo.¡± He Xi lifted her hand, gesturing for Jiang Ling to drink.


    Half believing and half not, Jiang Ling covered her nose and scooted closer to He Xi, grabbing the cup with her left hand before retracting back into the corner and downing the cup beneath the blanket. She approached He Xi again to return the cup. As He Xi watched her movements, she chuckled and reached over to pull down the blanket. Jiang Ling, startled, covered the lower half of her face with her elbow, revealing a pair of dewy eyes that were staring at He Xi in alarm. He Xi felt like teasing her, so she placed a knee on the bed and reached out to grab Jiang Ling¡¯s hands.


    ¡°Saintess-jiejie, Jiang Liu¡¯s medicine is done¡­oops[1]¡± Zhuo Zhuo turned around conscientiously, afraid to interrupt their little happy occasion, ¡°I¡¯ll put the medicine¡­


    ¡°Give it to me.¡± He Xi suddenly appeared before Zhuo Zhuo, scaring him so much he almost dropped the medicine bowl. He Xi swiftly took the bowl, ¡°Go out. Close the door behind you.¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­alright.¡± Zhuo Zhuo walked out woodenly, closing the door behind him.


    Jiang Ling snorted, ¡°Seems like he misunderstood us.¡±


    He Xi passed the medicine to Jiang Ling, then sat beside the bed again, ¡°Misunderstood what?¡± Sunlight shined in through the window, the dust in the air haloing He Xi in gold, beautiful enough to topple a city[2]. Jiang Ling was lost in the sight.


    ¡°Misunderstood what about us?¡± He Xin repeated the question, holding the bowl. Jiang Ling returned to herself and took the bowl, ¡°No¡­nothing.¡± Jiang Ling felt a bit guilty. She turned around and drank the medicine in one gulp, then passed the bowl to He Xi with her back toward her.


    ¡°Is it bitter?¡± He Xi stood her ground.


    ¡°It¡¯s bitter. I look ugly drinking medicine. I won¡¯t show you.¡±


    ¡°What kind of appearance of yours haven¡¯t I seen?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Jiang Ling thought that the heavens must have sent He Xi to keep her under wraps. Before, even if she lost in a battle of words, she would not lose like this, defeated within a couple of sentences.


    Before¡­as soon as she thought of the time before, Jiang Ling¡¯s mood dropped. She turned her back to He Xi and laid down without a word. He Xi thought that she must be tired and, not wanting to interrupt her rest, left the room, closing the door softly behind her.


    Jiang Ling turned and laid flat on her back, staring at the stone ceiling above her in a daze. The blood stirred within her heart. What could she do? Her like toward He Xi had long since been covered in enmity. She had never been so conflicted before. She even felt that she could no longer face ¡®Qian Shui¡¯.


    ¡°Shixiong, what should I do?¡± Jiang Ling buried herself under the blanket.


    That night, He Xi brought Jiang Ling some medicine. After drinking the medicine, Jiang Ling sat on the bed, ¡°How did you come here?¡± Jiang Ling was already much better; she did not even cough anymore.


    ¡°Your little shixiong called us over.¡± He Xi put the empty bowl on the table and sat at the bedside close to Jiang Ling. Jiang Ling¡¯s gaze followed He Xi¡¯s movements.


    ¡°¡®Us¡¯?¡± Jiang Ling asked uncertainly, having only seen He Xi.


    ¡°Grandmother A Xi was also here, but she went back to Shahai Village. There are many more patients there.¡± He Xi explained.


    Jiang Ling knew that He Xi was investigating the febrile disease and, recalling the villagers words about Shen Xiuqi and the rest leaving with nothing to show for it, Jiang Ling thought to ask He Xi a few things about it: ¡°What do you think is going on with this febrile disease?¡±


    ¡°We haven¡¯t found the source. We¡¯ve quarantined the sick patients, but there are still new cases.¡± He Xi furrowed her brow, ¡°What happened to you?¡±


    ¡°Zhuo Zhuo and I indeed went to Shahai Village, but if I was infected by Zhuo Zhuo, then who infected Zhuo Zhuo?¡± Jiang Ling remembered Zhuo Zhuo saying that he encountered one person, but that person was healthy, and Zhuo Zhuo kept a distance of ten zhang between them and his face covered. How would he catch the illness? ¡°Then why are the Manichaen followers fine? Don¡¯t say it¡¯s the protection of your Holy Father, I don¡¯t believe in that stuff.¡±


    He Xi tilted her head as she thought. If it was not the Holy Father, then, ¡°Protector Zhu Li arranges a sacred water cleansing every month for the followers, but this still seems to be a ritual related to the Holy Father.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t the sacred water a cure, then, since you all don¡¯t get the febrile disease after drinking it¡­¡± Jiang Ling had never believed in the divine.


    ¡°A cure¡­¡± He Xi became lost in thought. Jiang Ling¡¯s words had cleared her head a bit. She should remove the Holy Father from her thoughts if she wanted to determine the root cause of the febrile disease, ¡°Jiang Ling, have there ever been any special cases of illness in the central plains.¡±


    ¡°I think so.¡± Jiang Ling dug into her memory, ¡°I remember that the villagers below the mountain kept having bouts of diarrhea and they thought that they had caught an illness. My shifu was called down the mountain. Do you know what ended up being it?¡±


    ¡°What was it?¡±


    ¡°It turns out that Xiao Zhang and Xiao Wang, who was from a neighboring village, got into a spat. Xiao Wang got so angry that he put crotons[3] in the village well!¡± Jiang Ling slapped her leg, suddenly seeing the light, ¡°Zhuo Zhuo drew water in Shahai Village!¡±


    ¡°Someone poisoned the well.¡± He Xi and Jiang Ling thought in tandem, ¡°What about you? Did you drink water in Shahai Village?¡± If it was not a disease, but rather a fabricated epidemic created using poison, Jiang Ling could not have caught the illness from Zhuo Zhuo nor have gotten it from Shahai Village.


    ¡°The day I went to Shahai Village to buy medicine for Zhuo Zhuo, I forgot to bring water, so I found a well and drew up some water.¡±


    ¡°But the water is flowing below the well. A poison couldn¡¯t have lasted this long.¡± The flowing water would carry the poison away.


    ¡°So someone must be adding poison constantly.¡± Jiang Ling said.


    Up to this point, everything spoken seemed reasonable. When He Xi pondered the issue more, she felt the matter to be far deeper. The Manichaens would not get sick after drinking the sacred water. Zhu Li must be involved with this poison. Was it for missionary work? A Na had, indeed, started converting the common people of Xiyu because of the febrile disease. He Xi felt a faint sense that there was a deeper conspiracy at work, but she had not found a breakthrough. She would wait until she had finished her investigation, then return and discuss the matter with Luo Zhu.


    ¡°Speaking of which, Shen-shixiong must have drunk the poisoned water.¡±


    ¡°Shen-shixiong?¡± Jiang Ling really had too many shixiong. As Jiang Ling spoke of her reasons for coming, He Xi turned her ear to listen attentively.


    ¡°So, you didn¡¯t come here for me originally.¡± She did not know why, but for some reason, He Xi suddenly felt empty inside.


    ¡°I did come for you. To kill you.¡± This was indeed a reason. Jiang Ling bared her teeth, feigning viciousness.


    ¡°Oh.¡± He Xi drawled, ¡°Then Miss Jiang should take action soon. I¡¯m right here.¡± He Xi said, a smile in her voice.


    ¡°¡­¡± Jiang Ling was rendered speechless once again. She had not been able to beat He Xi before, and, moreover, He Xi had saved her numerous times now. She had already lost the intention to kill her. Her heart, which had already been muddled, was now in complete disarray. Looking at He Xi with an expression of ¡®what am I going to do with you,¡¯ she, even more so, could not be angry with her. Suddenly, she pounced on He Xi, pressing her down on the bed, ¡°Then here I come!¡±


    Jiang Ling pressed her left hand on He Xi¡¯s right shoulder, supporting herself. He Xi¡¯s hand lightly rested on Jiang Ling¡¯s waist. Jiang Ling faced He Xi, baring her teeth to be fierce. Seeing this kind of expression on Jiang Ling, He Xi couldn¡¯t help but turn her head away to smile. With this tilt of her head, He Xi¡¯s long, slender neck was exposed to Jiang Ling¡¯s eyes, an enchanting sight under the dim candlelight. Jiang Ling, inexplicably, swallowed, a flash of heat running through her body. She endured the impulse to place her head in the crook of He Xi¡¯s neck, to lay down next to her and gaze at the back of her head.


    Jiang Ling was startled by the sudden impulse. Why would she have such an idea? It feels too strange¡­


    Jiang Ling, who did not know what was wrong with her, laid everything on He Xi. And so, she turned around, saying stiffly with her back to He Xi, ¡°He Xi, how could you show up here again?¡±

 CH 29

    Chapter 29: Startling Turn of Events


    ¡°He Xi, how could you show up here again?¡± Jiang Ling mumbled, turning around.


    ¡°Do you not want me to show up here?¡± He Xi sat up, turning her head to look at Jiang Ling¡¯s back.


    ¡°I¡­I don¡¯t know?¡± Jiang Ling reached out to grab the blanket and wrapped herself in it, ¡°I¡¯m sleeping.¡±


    ¡°Mm.¡±


    ¡­


    In the two days where Jiang Ling was recovering, another trade caravan had arrived in Yonguan Village. He Xi had Jiang Ling and Zhuo Zhuo go with the caravan, to continue their journey to the central plains.


    ¡°Jiang Liu, look at the Ferghana horses!¡± Zhuo Zhuo¡¯s eyes widened, ¡°I¡¯ve always wanted to have one!¡±


    It was a caravan that traded horses. The caravan had brought about ten horses along, their coats glossy and their eyelashes fluttering, majestic and dashing.


    The leader of the horse caravan stopped overnight in Yongquan Village. As for Zhuo Zhuo, it was like he had found his long lost brethren; he joined them in gathering food and grooming the horses.


    At dawn the next day, Jiang Ling and Zhuo Zhuo were about to leave with the caravan.


    ¡°Goodbye.¡± He Xi said farewell to Jiang Ling once again, not wanting her to get caught up in the struggles in Xiyu.


    ¡°Goodbye, Saintess-jiejie!¡± Zhuo Zhuo waved emphatically at He Xi.


    Jiang Ling looked at He Xi, but could not utter the words of farewell.


    He Xi sat on her camel wearing a smile. She pulled on the reins, and the camel set off in the direction she indicated.


    Jiang Ling watched He Xi leave until her silhouette was swallowed by the yellow sands.


    Just then, Jiang Ling felt her heart palpitate, her palms break out in sweat. She had had this feeling three years ago.


    The caravan set off, but from time to time, Jiang Ling would turn her gaze to the direction in which He Xi left.


    ¡°Jiang Liu, if you can¡¯t bear to part with her this much, why don¡¯t you just marry her?¡± Zhuo Zhuo questioned Jiang Ling about her reluctant appearance.


    ¡°You! What did you say?¡± Jiang Ling was stupefied, ¡°How could I marry her?¡±


    ¡°Is it that you don¡¯t want to? But Saintess-jiejie is really beautiful.¡± Zhuo Zhuo feigned seriousness, ¡°I think Saintess-jiejie really likes you, too.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t understand.¡± Jiang Ling had no way to explain. How could two women get married?


    ¡°You won¡¯t marry her? Then just wait until I grow up¡­¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t!¡± Jiang Ling interrupted immediately.


    Jiang Ling did not want to keep talking to Zhuo Zhuo, so she spurred her camel to the other side of the caravan.


    ¡°You¡¯re actually mad? Just say you don¡¯t like her.¡± Zhuo Zhuo muttered.


    ¡­


    As soon as He Xi walked into her tent, A Na and Ye Qi both immediately stood up.


    ¡°Saintess, you are back at last.¡± Ye Qi was at his wits end. When the Saintess had left, she had handed responsibility for everything to him and A Na. The both of them knew nothing and could only go around sorting things out with their fists or with menial work. Fortunately, the Saintess had finally returned from her trip to the Land of Tender[1], so he could let out a relieved breath.


    ¡°You two have worked hard these past couple of days, thank you. I now have a handle on the situation.¡± He Xi sat in her seat, ¡°You two, draw up water in the nearby wells separately. Don¡¯t let others discover you.¡±


    The two of them accepted their orders and departed, coming back once they had drawn water from five different wells. He Xi dipped her silver needle to test for poison. ¡°Sure enough.¡± Two of the needles turned black.


    ¡°Saintess, this¡­¡± Ye Qi did not dare believe his own eyes.


    ¡°Yes, this is not a febrile disease. Someone poisoned the water supply. The poison is not strong, with symptoms like a contagious disease, so we¡¯ve always thought it was a febrile disease.¡±


    Ye Qi did not understand why someone would spread poison, ¡°Who did it?¡±


    ¡°It might have something to do with the other faction, but I have no evidence.¡± He Xi thought about it. Out of these five wells, two were poisoned. Evidently, the poison had already been diluted. Within two days, someone would definitely come to reapply the poison, and at that moment, they would catch them in the act, ¡°You two will maintain secrecy for the next two days, then we¡¯ll act.¡±


    He Xi bid her time until two days later. That night, the three of them hid behind a haystack behind the well, waiting for the little fish to take the bait.


    The moon was bright and the stars scattered, the chill in the air growing harsher. Ye Qi could not help but grumble in the desert night, ¡°It¡¯s too fucking cold out.¡± He Xi furrowed her brow, not caring for his vulgarities. Ye Qi immediately stopped talking, continuing to wait in silence.


    Deep into the night, just as the three of them started to think that no one would be poisoning the well that night, a person¡¯s silhouette appeared at the entrance to the village, sneaking toward the well.


    ¡°They¡¯re here!¡± A Na called the other two in a whisper.


    He Xi immediately raised her vigilance, waiting for a clearer view. It was the village chief!


    He Xi was astonished. While they had been in Shahai Village, the village chief had warm-heartedly arranged everything. How could it have been the village chief adding the poison¡­A Na and Ye Qi could scarcely believe it, but the truth was right in front of them.


    Just as the village chief pulled a medicine jar out and was about to dump the contents into the well, A Na rushed out of the darkness and grabbed his hand. When the village chief saw who it was, he was so frightened that his eyeballs almost popped out of their sockets. His knees wobbled and thumped to the ground, ¡°Lord A Na, this commoner wouldn¡¯t dare! This commoner wouldn¡¯t dare!¡± He Xi and Ye Qi walked out of the shadows and gazed at the village chief, their faces full of disappointment.


    ¡°Speak. Who told you to do this?¡± A Na pinched the village chief¡¯s hand in a crushing grip. The village chief¡¯s face twisted in pain, his other hand lifting tremblingly, ¡°It was¡­It¡¯s¡­¡±


    Everything was occurring too smoothly. He Xi felt a rising sense of alarm, like she was standing before an enormous whirlpool that was about to swallow her whole.


    ¡°Who?¡± Ye Qi asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s¡­It¡¯s her!¡± The village chief lifted his hand and pointed at He Xi, his eyes revealing a malicious light, ¡°It¡¯s her, the Saintess is the one who told me to do it!¡±


    ¡°Bullshit!¡± Ye Qi raised his blade and placed it at the village chief¡¯s throat, ¡°Explain, quickly!¡±


    The village chief¡¯s cold eyes gazed at He Xi, ¡°Lady Saintess, did you forget your instructions?¡± He Xi¡¯s eyes held anger. The three of them were slowly being encircled within an enormous net. He Xi was positive: they had already been sucked into the whirlpool. She stalked up to the village chief and leaned down. Her amber eyes gazed straight into the village chief¡¯s, which were already clouded with age. She tilted her head, placing her lips next to his ear and whispering: ¡°It was Zhu Li.¡±


    Like he had just been seen through, the village chief¡¯s eyes widened into saucers. He started to struggle maddly.


    ¡°Saintess, what¡¯s wrong with him?¡± The scene made Ye Qi feel somewhat at a loss. Evidently, A Na likewise did not know what to do. His hand loosened, and the village chief struggled free, shouting: ¡°The Saintess told me to do it!¡± He swiped his neck along Ye Qi¡¯s blade. Blood gushed out of the wound, staining their clothes red. The three of them were dumbfounded, stunned by the sudden turn of events.


    ¡°So instead of resolving this with the village chief through words, the Saintess acts out of desperation and silences him?¡± Na Cuo¡¯s voice came out of the darkness, ¡°What a good dogfight.¡±


    Behind Na Cuo was one of the Manichaens¡¯ two Guardian Kings, Sang Ji, and a crowd of disciples. ¡°Lord Guardian also heard the village head¡¯s words before he was killed.¡± Sang Ji was approaching his forties, tall and stalwart. He was only inferior to Luo Zhu and Zhu Li in terms of skill, and he usually maintained neutrality within the sect. This time he was clearly deceived by Na Cuo to come see He Xi¡¯s ¡®crime¡¯.


    ¡°You¡¯re spewing bullshit!¡± Ye Qi excoriated, taking two steps in front of He Xi. ¡°Lord Guardian, you see, the Saintess has never had any respect, even casually bringing an uninitiated central plains person back to the sect to harm others. This febrile disease in Shahai Village was also fabricated by her. Who knows who may be backing her?¡± Na Cuo spit out the word ¡®casually¡¯, ¡°The Saintess¡¯ crimes are too numerous to count!¡±


    Sang Ji asked simply, ¡°He Xi, was this your doing?¡±


    He Xi walked out from behind Ye Qi, ¡°Would you believe me if I said no?¡±


    ¡°You were caught red-handed and you¡¯re still quibbling!¡± Na Cuo yelled, ¡°You¡¯ve just killed the witness, and you still want to deny it?¡±


    He Xi lowered her voice, ¡°A Na, Ye Qi, separate and break through the encirclement. Tell the leader that something has happened within the sect.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡± A Na and Ye Qi answered concisely.


    It was impossible for so many people to be out on this night, so it could only be an ambush. The distance between them was just right to hear the village chief¡¯s final shout, and Sang Ji did not know the reason behind such slander. Now, it was useless to explain herself. This must have all been deliberately planned, and the one to take the bait had been He Xi, instead. Just how they knew her movements so clearly, she did not know. She was close to figuring it out, but in such a chaotic scene, she did not have time to think about the issue before Na Cuo was already attacking her, ¡°Saintess, surrender and return to admit your crimes!¡±


    A Na leapt in front of He Xi and took the blow from Na Cuo, ¡°Saintess, run!¡±


    The encircling followers were gradually thinned down. When the remaining followers went to contain the two of them, Ye Qi fought his way out, blocking the followers¡¯ strikes to give He Xi an opening. He Xi¡¯s silhouette flashed as she ran out of the encirclement.


    ¡°He Xi, come back with me.¡± Sang Ji landed in front of He Xi.


    ¡°¡­¡± If she went back with them, with the combined weight of the falsified evidence, she would be hard pressed to explain herself. With a flick of her wrist, silver needles flew through the air, shooting toward Sang Ji like a flash of lightning. The needles all embedded themselves on Sang Ji¡¯s robes, ¡°You dare!¡±


    Showing off in the presence of an expert!


    He Xi took advantage of the given opportunity to put some distance between them. Sang Ji glared at her. His palms shot out, blowing the stones on the ground toward her. The stones broke apart in mid air then reformed into a net to entrap He Xi, who slanted her body and shielded herself with the wind generated by her palms. She cleared away most of the stones, but some of the stones carried great force, and even after coming into contact with He Xi¡¯s palm wind, they continued to fly toward He Xi in smaller pieces. He Xi had no choice but to turn and run off into a different direction. With the speed of the god of thunder, Sang Ji landed beside He Xi in the blink of an eye. He curled his leg and kicked her. He Xi could not dodge in time, and crossed her arms in front of herself to take the crushing blow. He Xi¡¯s expression did not shift at all, and gritting her teeth, she swept her leg toward Sang Ji¡¯s supporting leg. Sang Ji tucked that leg in and spun in the air before landing on the ground. He Xi retreated a few steps and clenched her shaking hands. Her fight with Sang Ji just now had cost her much of her strength. She wanted to extricate herself as soon as possible.


    ¡°He Xi, come with me and admit your crimes.¡±


    ¡°I did nothing wrong.¡±


    ¡°Still quibbling!¡± Sang Ji said in disappointment.


    The sound of clattering hooves came from not too far away, interrupting their conversation. He Xi drew out a silver needle and launched it toward Sang Ji, who observed clearly that this was He Xi¡¯s last bit of obstinate struggle. He merely dodged, then strode forward to apprehend her.


    He Xi stepped backward, her lips hooking upward. She flicked her fingers, flashing silver in the moonlight. Sang Ji rushed forward to chase her when he felt a pain in his knee. That silver needle had changed directions and plunged into his knee, piercing the bone. His right leg went numb and he was unstable on his feet. He could only watch as He Xi ran off in the direction of the horse¡¯s clattering hooves.


    ¡°He Xi!¡± Jiang Ling rode her horse toward He Xi, bathed in moonlight.

 CH 30

    Content warning (a little spoilery, click the footnote to see them): [1]


    ____________


    ¡°Jiang Ling.¡± So it was her.


    Jiang Ling reached out and grabbed He Xi, pulling her up onto the horse. Jiang Ling was a little smaller in stature than He Xi, and in an instant, she fell into He Xi¡¯s embrace. The two of them were stuck closely together, ¡°I just knew something was going to happen.¡±


    ¡°Hurry, return to the Manichaen Sect.¡± He XI needed to return and inform Luo Zhu. The uneasiness in her heart deepened. The journey back was fraught with danger, but she could only try and investigate whether this battle had erupted from Shahai VIllage or had already started to burn within the Manichaen Sect prior to this. Jiang Ling spurred the horse on, and the two of them disappeared into the night.


    The Ferghana horse was truly a thousand-li wonder. Under the moonlight, the horse flew across the desert, clouds of sand in its wake.


    ¡°When did you come?¡± Their bodies were stuck together. He Xi¡¯s warm breath brushed against Jiang Ling¡¯s ear. Her scalp went numb, and she turned her head, ¡°I was coming to see you at dawn this morning, but I couldn¡¯t sleep and heard some movement. I came over to check.¡±


    ¡°What do you plan to do about the central plains?¡± He Xi pressed closer again. Jiang Ling had nowhere to escape to. She clenched her jaw, enduring the strange feeling, ¡°Zhuo Zhuo will inform Shen-shixiong and the others about the febrile disease and tell them not to worry about me, that I am well.¡±


    ¡°All will be well.¡± He Xi¡¯s voice drifted into her ear like a dream.


    As the sky grew brighter, the two of them reached the city. Jiang Ling haltered the horse beneath a small tree for concealment, then made to follow He Xi over the wall.


    ¡°Wait here for me. I¡¯ll go investigate.¡± He Xi blocked Jiang Ling.


    ¡°No, that won¡¯t do. Don¡¯t worry about me. I am very skilled in escaping.¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t escape from me before.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Jiang Ling ended up following He Xi over the wall. Helplessly, He Xi brought Jiang Ling to the rooms she would normally stop in when she was in the city. She pulled out a set of clothes from the wardrobe, ¡°Change into these.¡±


    ¡°What are they?¡± Jiang Ling took the clothing.


    ¡°My clothes. Your central plains outfit is too eye-catching.¡± As she spoke, she removed Jiang Ling¡¯s hairpin. Her raven-black hair tumbled down. Long fingers lightly combed through her hair, and in no time, He Xi had plaited Jiang Ling¡¯s hair into a Xiyu style. A few wisps of hair hung over her forehead, and the handsome youth had transformed into a beautiful young woman.


    ¡°There are some veils in here. If you put one on, ordinary people will not see your features. Do not walk around recklessly and wait for my return.¡±


    He Xi availed herself of the remaining darkness to disappear into the night.


    Jiang Ling held the clothing, stroking it lightly.


    He Xi scaled the cliffside and hid behind the dome of the main palace, overlooking the entirety of the sect. The followers on night watch duty were still standing at their guard posts peacefully, as if nothing major had occurred. He Xi kept her guard up, crossing the rooftop until she found Luo Zhu¡¯s Jingshi Palace. She quietly lifted up a glazed tile but did not see Luo Zhu or the rest of his people in the palace. Uneasy, and without more time to think, she went to grab an important item.


    She snuck over to Liuli Palace and grabbed a fine, wooden box and placed it in her lapel. Just as she made to leave, wind brushed by her ears. She dodged, and a meteor hammer[2] slammed down just where she had been standing.


    ¡°You dare come back here, traitor!¡± It was one of the Protectors of the Manichaen Sect, Wu Ji. In his hands, the meteor hammer was wielded with near perfection.


    Traitor? He Xi figured that everything must be over within the Manichaens, and she and Luo Zhu were both branded as traitors. She did not know how he was doing now.


    Wu Ji pulled the iron chain in his hands, numerous tile fragments lifting up in the process. His meteor hammer was covered in long, sharp nails; so long as the hammer made contact with someone, flesh would instantly be broken to bits. Without halting his movements, Wu Ji lifted the hammer up and brought it pounding down onto the roof. As he struck the roof, a hole opened up in the roof, tiles flying everywhere. The hammer¡¯s chain was nimble and flexible, and just as He Xi avoided one of the hammers, the other landed right before her. In the face of the hammer, her needles were like mere decorations. She could only delay him for a short time. He Xi was out of weapons and kept retreating. Her limbs were sliced by the flying tile fragments. Hearing the fight, the Manichaen followers surrounded He Xi and, little by little, she was forced to the cliff¡¯s edge. Her amber-colored eyes flickered without a trace of emotion, then her pupils constricted and she lept backwards, jumping into the abyss.


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡­


    ¡°She actually escaped!¡± Zhu Li smacked the table, ¡°The Guardian King underestimated her. She¡¯s not some kind of sheep, easily cowered.¡±


    ¡°Left Protector¡­my lord, it was this subordinate who underestimated the enemy.¡± It was truly unforeseeable that He Xi would use this kind of suicidal method to escape. The cliffs are completely smooth. Even someone with good qinggong skills would lose half of their life on them. ¡°This subordinate has already ordered some followers to go and search for her.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t bother. She will show herself.¡± Zhu Li said darkly, ¡°I¡¯ve heard that the Guardian King¡¯s archery is superb. Hitting a target at one hundred paces is beneath mention.¡±


    ¡­


    Jiang Ling put on the clothing and waited for He Xi to return until the sun was high in the sky, when she heard a commotion outside. She covered her face and walked out. With the veil, half of her delicate face was concealed from view, and the wisps of hair dangling onto her forehead added to the obscurity. Without careful observation, no one would see that she was from the central plains.


    Many people were gathered around an official notice, chattering noisily. Jiang Ling could not understand the words written on the notice, so she asked an older girl that looked like she may speak Han, ¡°What¡¯s written on it?¡± The older girl gave her a disdainful look, and Jiang Ling explained that she was from Xiyu but could not speak the language as she was born within the Pass and could not speak her mother tongue.


    ¡°It says that the acting leader of the Manichaen Sect, Luo Zhu, poisoned the leader to take power for himself! Also, he ordered the Saintess to poison Shahai Village and create a fake febrile disease so he could secretly feed the patients¡¯ blood to the leader!¡±


    ¡°What?¡± How could it have turned into He Xi¡¯s poisoning, ¡°What else does it say?¡±


    ¡°Left Protector Zhu Li has investigated thoroughly. The leader was just about to come out of seclusion, and Luo Zhu was afraid that he would take away his position. He poisoned the leader, making him crave blood so he would become more and more dependent on him. Fortunately, the Lord Left Protector investigated and informed the leader. Luo Zhu learned that he¡¯d been discovered and added a toxin to the blood, planning to murder the leader. Order has now been restored in the sect. The two Guardian Kings and the Left Protector have captured Luo Zhu, and the Saintess has fled.¡±


    The information was like a blow. None of it felt real to Jiang Ling. He Xi had gone back by herself. Did something happen to her? How she should help her now, Jiang Ling did not know.


    ¡°The Manichaen traitor and apostate, Luo Zhu, for his murder of the leader, shall henceforth be displayed in the marketplace, to console the Holy Father and to warn all mortal creatures.¡± A Manichaen follower cried.


    ¡°Look, the traitor¡¯s being hanged!¡± The older girl pulled Jiang Ling along with the crowd to go spectate.


    Two followers dragged Luo Zhu, his body covered in blood and his arms bound by iron shackles, to the market square, leaving a trail of blood behind him. He was hauled upward, hung up on high. His hair was clotted with blood and extremely disordered, the mess covering the greater portion of his face. Blood dribbled out of his lips, his breathing slight. The wounds on his body exposed his flesh, without a bit of skin intact. His clothes were utterly ruined, and they hung off his body as blood stained rags. Both his wrists and ankles were shackled. Blood trickled from his legs, dripping onto the ground below. The scene was entirely harrowing.


    Jiang Ling stood amongst the crowd, gazing up at the hung Luo Zhu. She gulped. He was He Xi¡¯s shifu. Jiang Ling clutched at her chest and took some deep breaths. The din and clamor surrounding her seemed to be cut off. She felt overwhelmed by dizziness.


    The older girl saw that Jiang Ling looked unwell and pulled her out of the crowd, ¡°Miss, you do not look well. You should go back.¡±


    Jiang Ling returned to He Xi¡¯s secret space, completely out of sorts. She did not know where to find He Xi, she did not know how to help her, and, even more so, she had no idea how to save Luo Zhu.


    ¡°Bang¡ª¡± The door was pushed open as He Xi bumped into it. Jiang Ling, who had been sitting on the stool, was startled.


    He Xi¡¯s clothing was torn and bloodstained, her body covered in wounds and her hair in disarray. She clutched her right arm with her left as she held a curved dagger in her right hand. She was in dire straits.


    Jiang Ling hurriedly pulled He Xi inside, inspecting her wounds, ¡°He Xi, you¡¯re injured!¡±


    He Xi dropped the knife on the ground and sat on the bed. She held Jiang Ling¡¯s hand to reassure her that she was alright, ¡°The sect has already fallen.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡± Jiang Ling held He Xi¡¯s hand back.


    ¡°I brought something important back, but I didn¡¯t find my shifu. He might¡¯ve been caught. I don¡¯t know where he is.¡± He Xi took a deep breath, ¡°I don¡¯t know how to find him.¡±


    He Xi¡¯s voice trembled. Jiang Ling had never seen this fragile side of He Xi before. She held He Xi¡¯s hand even tighter, as if she could transfer her own strength to her.


    ¡°He Xi, your shifu¡­¡± Jiang Ling pressed her lips together. Having mustered the courage, she said, ¡°Your shifu was hung up in the marketplace by the Manichaens¡­¡±


    Suddenly, Jiang Ling¡¯s hands were only clutching air. He Xi stood up, looking to rush out of the door. Jiang Ling charged forward and wrapped her arms around her from behind, ¡°He Xi, calm down, they want to lure you in!¡±


    ¡°¡­¡± He Xi choked out, her amber-colored eyes misty, ¡°He¡¯s my shifu. I have to save him.¡±


    ¡°You will, we¡¯ll both go and save him. I¡¯ll go bring the horse to the wall closest to the marketplace. Once you rescue your shifu, you¡¯ll use the horse to escape. You¡¯re familiar with Xiyu. Find somewhere to stay.¡±


    ¡°What about you?¡± He Xi asked.


    ¡°They won¡¯t recognize me in my current state. After you flee, I¡¯ll just follow another caravan back to the central plains.¡± Jiang Ling saw He Xi move to leave again and held her back, ¡°Don¡¯t be anxious. First, I¡¯ll help you see if there are people set for an ambush. Once we are sure that there aren¡¯t, then we¡¯ll act. We must not go over there recklessly.¡±


    ¡°Why are you helping me?¡± He Xi¡¯s eyes glistened.


    ¡°You¡¯ve saved me so many times, I want to repay you. We¡¯ll settle the rest later.¡±


    Waiting until the night grew quieter, He Xi treated her wounds rudimentarily. The both of them put on night clothing. First, Jiang Ling soundlessly brought her horse to a tree close to the city¡¯s walls. She subconsciously scanned the area around the marketplace for places where people could hide, scouring the elevated places to ensure that no one was there. Even if they were discovered rescuing him, with their qinggong skills, there would still be time for them to flee.


    Jiang Ling returned to He Xi, ¡°I looked around, and there¡¯s no one, but you should still be careful. They¡¯ll definitely have other ways to catch you both, and this could also be a trap.¡± Jiang Ling was still anxious.


    ¡°Thank you, Jiang Ling. I have to save my shifu today, or else¡­¡± He Xi did not dare finish that thought. When she was seven years old, Luo Zhu rescued her from the hands of human traffickers[3], and from then on, she became an ordinary person. She was no longer their mongrel, their slave. Luo Zhu brought light to her world. She entered the Manichean Sect with Luo Zhu and became the Saintess, embracing the Lord of Light.


    What bullshit ¡®Father of Light.¡± The Holy Father had never blessed, nor protected Luo Zhu. Her Father of Light was Luo Zhu.

 CH 31

    ¡°He Xi, I understand.¡± Jiang Ling revealed a wry smile. Her inner conflict was at its peak, a voice in her heart always crying out to her, ¡°Enough. You¡¯ve already done more than enough. What remains is what she deserves!¡±


    He Xi turned her head, not looking at Jiang Ling¡¯s expression, ¡°I¡¯m the one who owes you so much.¡±


    The two of them sank into silence. Jiang Ling stood up and looked at the sky. It was just past the wee hours of the morning: the perfect time to act.


    They kept their voices hushed, arriving at the post close to the market entrance separately. Jiang Ling hid outside, and He Xi hid inside. He Xi lifted her head, and after seeing Luo Zhu¡¯s miserable state, her breath stopped. Nails were embedded in his palms, the weak rise and fall of his chest the sole indicator that he was still living.


    And on a distant tower, someone had drawn his bow and taken aim, ready for the hunt.


    Jiang Ling nodded at He Xi. He Xi leapt up and, using a dagger, severed the restraints on Luo Zhu, the sound of the shackles shattering ringing in the night. As soon as Luo Zhu fell, his body was caught by He Xi and supported on her shoulder. Realizing that someone was rescuing him, Luo Zhu forced his eyes open, a croak escaping his throat.


    ¡°Whoosh¡ª¡± An arrow split the air, and Jiang Ling discovered their secret plot, ¡°Watch out!¡± She flew up and subconsciously grabbed the arrow with her right hand. The arrow was imbued with qi, and just as Jiang Ling touched it, her palm was lacerated, and in an instant, her right hand was dyed with blood. The flying arrow brushed past Jiang Ling¡¯s palm, shooting toward He Xi.


    ¡°Damn it!¡± Jiang Ling watched, helpless, as the arrow pierced cleanly through Luo Zhu¡¯s back to He Xi¡¯s shoulder. The arrowhead, stained with their blood, struck the post. The force of the strike shook the arrow, the blood misting into the air.


    On the tower, Wu Ji raised an eyebrow, ¡°Why is there another person?¡±


    He Xi knelt on the ground in pain, blood gushing out of her shoulder. Luo Zhu lay prone on the ground, blood flowing relentlessly out of his chest and lips. His eyes slowly lost their light.


    ¡°Shifu¡­¡± The spirit disappeared from He Xi¡¯s eyes. Not caring for the pain, she shifted, wanting to press down on Luo Zhu¡¯s chest as the blood poured out.


    Jiang Ling suddenly pounced on He Xi, rolling the two of them away. An arrow embedded into the ground where He Xi had been. Half of the arrow¡¯s shaft was buried into the ground, the tail undulating from the impact.


    ¡°Uhhh¡­¡± He Xi gritted her teeth, covering her shoulder and standing up, her face covered in sweat, ¡°Shifu¡­¡±


    Jiang Ling was on high alert. Enemies were hiding in the dark, and disaster could befall them at any time. She immediately grabbed He Xi by the waist and pulled her away.


    ¡°Luo Zhu!¡± He Xi caught empty air.


    Jiang Ling paid no heed to her struggling. She brought her to the top of the city wall, arrows grazing past them the entire way. Carrying He Xi, Jiang Ling weaved side to side, dodging the arrows. She avoided the majority of them, but some of the arrows sliced Jiang Ling¡¯s legs. She clenched her teeth and flipped over the city wall.


    ¡°Let me go!¡± He Xi was struggling weakly, ¡°Shifu¡­My shifu¡¯s still in there!¡±


    ¡°Calm down! Your shifu is already dead!¡± Jiang Ling rebuked harshly.


    Jiang Ling¡¯s reprimand made He Xi stop struggling, and she cooperated with Jiang Ling as she brought her into the area where the horse was hidden. She released He Xi, and He Xi collapsed to the ground.


    Jiang Ling examined He Xi¡¯s condition. Her left shoulder was soaked through with blood, the color appearing somewhat unusual under the moonlight.


    Jiang Ling loosened He Xi¡¯s clothes to her shoulder. The tender, pale skin was dyed with blood as it continued to pour out of the wound, the flesh surrounding it curling outward.


    ¡°We must stop the bleeding.¡± Jiang Ling removed He Xi¡¯s belt and tore it in half with her teeth, using half of it to cover the wound on her shoulder and the other half to hold it in place.


    He Xi lay on the ground woodenly, her right arm draped over her eyes as tears silently slid down her face onto the grass.


    As the wind rose, stirring the trees, it carried the noise of their pursuers.


    ¡°He Xi, we have to go. They¡¯re searching for us.¡±


    He Xi¡¯s expression did not change. She nodded slightly, then lowered her arm and rose with difficulty. With the blood loss, He Xi¡¯s face was deathly pale. Seeing her like this, Jiang Ling felt a dull ache in her heart. She mounted the horse and pulled He Xi up behind her.


    He Xi¡¯s limp body stuck to Jiang Ling¡¯s back, her head resting on her shoulder and her right hand circling Jiang Ling¡¯s waist.


    ¡°We can¡¯t go to Shahai Village. You know the area. Where should we go?¡± Jiang Ling only knew how to get to Shahai Village, but they could not go there, so they could only rely on He Xi¡¯s directions.


    ¡°Turn left. There¡¯s a small oasis not too far from here. Once we get there, head toward the sunset and we¡¯ll reach a bigger oasis. There¡¯ll be people there.¡± He Xi¡¯s voice was weak, like she was about to drift off to sleep.


    ¡°He Xi, you can¡¯t fall asleep.¡±


    ¡°Mhm.¡±


    The Ferghana horse brought them out into the desert.


    The small oasis was not far; they arrived before noon. This small oasis, it could be said, was quite similar to the oasis Jiang Ling had seen first. Sparse, emaciated trees struggled to survive. One well provided the only source of life-giving water.


    ¡°He Xi, we¡¯ve reached the little oasis.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°He Xi?¡± Jiang Ling turned around. He Xi¡¯s face was blanched, and as she rested against Jiang Ling¡¯s back, she had fallen into a stupor.


    Jiang Ling dismounted and reclined He Xi on the horse, letting the horse rest. She removed her water sack from the horse¡¯s saddle and passed water to He Xi with her mouth, then drank her fill. Looking at the position of the sun in the sky as it rose, Jiang Ling found the direction of the sunset and continued on toward the other oasis.


    The water in the sack was running low. They had already been traveling through the desert for two days. He Xi was not awake very often, and she was growing more and more wane. Jiang Ling grew fearful of once again being lost in the desert, ¡°He Xi, how far away is this place?¡± Only silence answered her.


    The Ferghana horse could no longer keep going. Jiang Ling dismounted, endlessly leading the horse forward.


    Suddenly, the horse whinnied, like it had found something. Throwing off the reins, it ran off, disappearing behind the dune in front of her with the comatose He Xi on its back. Jiang Ling chased after it, cresting the dune.


    A fresh breeze dispersed the scalding heat. Before her was a lake so clear she could see the bottom, lush greenery along its rim and a crisp wind that tousled her hair. The horse was beside the lake, its head lowered as it drank from it. He Xi had slid off of its back beside the lake.


    Jiang Ling ran up to He Xi and knelt beside her, ¡°He Xi, look! We made it!¡±


    Along with the joy, a voice called out in her heart: Now, leave her behind. You¡¯d have taken revenge for your shixiong.


    ¡°He Xi¡­¡± Tears pooled in Jiang Ling¡¯s eyes, ¡°Why is it you? Why!¡±


    Jiang Ling clenched her jaw, wiping away her tears, ¡°Now we¡¯re even!¡± She carried He Xi on her back toward the homes of the people living in the oasis.


    Beyond her expectations, despite the oasis being relatively large, there were only a few, simple homes. Furthermore, they were all from the central plains. It was entirely different from the one He Xi had indicated, so they must have run into it by accident.


    An old couple, surnamed Xue, took them in.


    The husband and wife were over sixty years of age, their hair gone white, but they were both full of life.


    Upon seeing their plight, the old couple rushed to arrange a place for them. They gave them two sets of clean clothing and helped He Xi dress her wound. The bleeding had long been staunched, but she had already lost a lot of blood. He Xi¡¯s face, as before, was as white as a sheet, and she still had not awoken. The injuries on Jiang Ling¡¯s hand and legs were not serious, so she dressed them herself.


    The old man was a traditional Han. The two-room home was decorated like a rural home from the central plains, the fixings frugal and simple with a lived-in feel.


    They cleared out a small storage room and placed two simple sleeping pallets inside for Jiang Ling and He Xi.


    The old man had tilled the land beside his house and planted several crops. Every day, when he had nothing to do, he would sit down and watch them grow. The other homes in the oasis were scattered about and also cultivated their own crops. Some also raised livestock.


    ¡°Little girl, come with me to the market to exchange some goods. Your horse looks fine enough.¡± The old man saw that Jiang Ling had nothing to do for the entire day and ordered her to come along.


    ¡°That horse is all I have!¡± Jiang Ling widened her eyes, appearing hard-pressed, ¡°I can¡¯t go to the market and exchange it.¡±


    ¡°Who asked you to exchange your lousy horse?!¡± The old man raised his eyebrows, ¡°I¡¯ve made several stone carvings, the Xiyu people like them.¡±


    Jiang Ling let out a long sigh of relief. Seeing Jiang Ling¡¯s expression, the old man was filled with anger, ¡°I took you sisters in. If I wanted your horse, it wouldn¡¯t be too much to ask.¡±


    ¡°Sir, that¡¯s not what I meant.¡± Jiang Ling saw that the old man had misunderstood her and hurried to explain, ¡°We need the horse to go home.¡±


    ¡°To the central plains?¡± Jiang LIng nodded, and the old man continued, ¡°Then you¡¯d best sell it and stay with us old folks.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t listen to this old fart. Keep talking like this and the market will be closed by the time you get there.¡± The old lady hastened them on. The old man laughed dryly.


    The old man had carved several stones of all kinds, the smallest about the size of a thumb and the largest about the size of a fist. Some were animals, others were people, and there were even some carved with local totem symbols. All of them were carved with great care and precision. Jiang Ling praised sincerely, ¡°Sir, did you make these before?¡±


    ¡°No, my hands were just itching to do something. I always practice my skills with a knife.¡± The old man hurried Jiang Ling along as she placed the stones in a bag. Seeing Jiang Ling use her left hand, the old man asked, ¡°Little girl, was your right hand injured?¡±


    ¡°An old affliction. I can¡¯t carry anything heavy.¡±


    ¡°You should go back to the central plains, then. You can¡¯t farm and you can¡¯t carve, so I won¡¯t take you on as a pupil.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡± Jiang Ling did not admit defeat, ¡°How do you know that my left hand won¡¯t work? I can carve beautifully.¡±


    The old man roared with laughter, ¡°Not bad, not bad.¡±


    The two of them finished packaging up the carvings and hung the bag on the horse¡¯s back, setting out for the market together.


    The market was in a little town about a day¡¯s walk away. By the time the two of them arrived, it was already growing late, and the temperature had dropped to a more comfortable level. There were many people out on the street hawking their wares, including materials, crops, and handicrafts. The Han and Xiyu tongues melded together, creating a lively atmosphere.


    The stone vendor, upon seeing the old man, hurried to greet him, ¡°Old Xue, we¡¯ve got some good ones today.¡±


    The old man picked through the stones and chose the ones that he fancied, passing them off to Jiang Ling. He gave a fist-sized stone carved into a lion to the vendor, who turned the carving over and carefully inspected it, ¡°Definitely up to Old Xue¡¯s level.¡± Pleased, he accepted the carving.


    The old man exchanged more carvings for some seeds and rice. Jiang Ling saw a goat hair rug, and the old man also exchanged for it.


    ¡°¡­¡± Jiang Ling was incredulous, ¡°These things are more useful than money.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s all just catering to people¡¯s taste. Here, many like these kinds of things.¡±

 CH 32

    Once Jiang Ling and the old man finished their exchanges, they found an inn to stay the night. Jiang Ling settled in, then once again headed out into the market to look around. Upon discovering that there were not any Xiyu people, Jiang Ling relaxed, certain that this place was safe.


    The next day, they headed back, their spoils carried on the horse¡¯s back.


    The old man, seeing Jiang Ling¡¯s vigilance over the past two days, asked: ¡°Have some enemies?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t bother pulling the wool over the eyes of an old man like me. It¡¯s normal for people in Jianghu to have a few enemies.¡± The old man stroked the horse¡¯s mane, ¡°But you can be at ease. Very few people come all the way out here, just some folks who don¡¯t like living with the Xiyu people and don¡¯t want to go back to the central plains.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t want to go back to the central plains?¡±


    ¡°There are many mires in a person¡¯s life ah¡ª¡± The old man sighed, sinking into the recesses of his memories.


    Jiang Ling did not continue her questioning. At the moment, she had even brought her own enemy into exile with her. She did not know what this would count as.


    After they returned to the oasis, the old man had Jiang Ling divide up the seeds and give some to the other residents of the oasis.


    When she returned to the old man¡¯s house, she rolled out a carpet that she had just bargained for in her and He Xi¡¯s room.


    He Xi had been resting for the past fortnight. The old woman had come and helped her change the medicine on her wounds, and her injuries had already healed for the most part, but her face was still feverish.


    The old woman changed He Xi¡¯s clothes for her. As she did so, she fretted as she saw that she was still unconscious: ¡°Her injuries are almost completely healed. Why hasn¡¯t she woken up?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯ll wake up once she¡¯s come to terms with everything.¡±


    He Xi had not yet gotten over the loss of her loved one.


    The old woman did not know what the two of them had experienced and quit the room once she was finished with her business.


    During the past half a month, Jiang Ling had given this little room a few more home touches. She placed her own bed by the window nearest the door and He Xi¡¯s under the opposite window.


    Between the two beds was a goat hair rug with a low table on it. The room, originally used for storage, now had a rather more warm, comfortable air.


    Jiang Ling sat down on the rug, her head leaning against He Xi¡¯s bed, ¡°He Xi, when will you be able to get past this?¡±


    ¡°He Xi!¡± He Xi¡¯s fingers twitched. Jiang Ling¡¯s spirits rose, ¡°He Xi!¡±


    Jiang Ling called out to her twice, but He Xi did not seem intent on waking up. Disappointed, Jiang Ling leaned her head against her bed again, ¡°If you don¡¯t wake up, I won¡¯t care about you anymore.¡±[1]


    For the next several days, if Jiang Ling was not called out by the old man to do some weeding, then she would learn carving under his watchful eye. Afterall, if she was going to talk big, then she had best back it up.


    When Jiang Ling had free time, she would work on carving. Into the night, she buried herself in her work by the light of an oil lamp, the flame flickering back and forth.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± As soon as He Xi woke up, she saw someone sitting by her bedside wholly concentrated on something in their hands, not paying on whit of attention to He Xi as she woke up. He Xi sat up, half reclining against the window.


    Jiang Ling¡¯s hands trembled, nearly cutting herself. She put the engraving knife down and turned around, joy lighting up her face, ¡°He Xi, you remembered to wake up!¡±


    A little aggrieved, as well.


    ¡°I heard someone say that they wouldn¡¯t care about me anymore.¡± He Xi smiled wryly.


    ¡°No, I won¡¯t care about you.¡±


    He Xi saw Jiang Ling being like this and felt even more guilt. With her recent loss, He Xi knew now better what Jiang Ling felt. Endless guilt hung from her fragile face, ¡°Jiang Ling, you still hate me, don¡¯t you?¡±


    Her painful memories brought up once again, the smile dropped from Jiang Ling¡¯s face. She was silent.


    Just as He Xi thought that her words would bring their conversation to an end, Jiang Ling spoke, ¡°Yes, I hate you so much. When we were on the road, I wanted to dump you off many times!¡±


    Jiang Ling¡¯s eyes grew misty, ¡°I hate myself, too. I know very clearly, know perfectly well that you killed my shixiong. I also can¡¯t help but save you.¡± Tears started to stream down Jiang Ling¡¯s face.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. It¡¯s all my fault.¡± He Xi was very remorseful. She had made Jiang Ling fall into such a difficult situation. Right now, all she wanted to do was tear Zhu Li apart.


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s all your fault. It¡¯s your fault for saving me, your fault for poisoning the needles. Otherwise, my shixiong could¡¯ve been saved!¡±


    ¡°Poison?¡± He Xi¡¯s brow furrowed. She had indeed used her needles, ¡°I didn¡¯t add any poison.¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t?¡± Jiang Ling was dumbfounded. Her tears stopped flowing, ¡°Who else used needles then?¡±


    He Xi was quiet. Back then, she had been the only one who had used silver needles.


    ¡°If it wasn¡¯t you, then who was it?¡± Things were becoming far more complicated. Back then, her and Gu Shi had been seriously injured while He Xi and her people had come out unscathed, ¡°What about your subordinate?¡±


    ¡°A Na? He didn¡¯t. After I stole back the blades, I had him bring them back and I covered his retreat.¡± Their conversation returned to its starting point: if not He Xi, who had it been?


    He Xi had ordered A Na to go back and investigate, but he only reported that there was one death and two injuries. Even though He Xi was certain that she did not kill anyone, this did not rule out someone dying from their injuries without timely treatment. So, she had accepted the ultimate conclusion.


    But now, Jiang Ling was telling her that Gu Yun had been poisoned to death. What happened?


    ¡°Jiang Ling, do you believe me?¡± He Xi caught Jiang Ling¡¯s hand.


    ¡°¡­¡± Jiang Ling sank into silence once again. Before this matter was cleared up, He Xi remained the biggest suspect. She pulled her hand out of He Xi¡¯s grip, ¡°It¡¯s late. I¡¯m going to sleep.¡±


    Jiang Ling blew out the light and laid down on her blanket. The room was still, only stirred by He Xi¡¯s soft sigh.


    That night, Jiang Ling slept turbulently. She dreamt of that night three years ago. He Xi was dressed in her nightfaring garb, and injured her gravely, but she did not pass out immediately. She saw with her own eyes as Gu Yun was struck by He Xi¡¯s needles, then collapsed to the ground, poisoned to death. Just as she was going to raise her sword and take her revenge for Gu Yun, an arrow split the night, piercing He Xi through the chest. She fluttered to the ground like a kite with its string cut.


    Jiang Ling grabbed He Xi¡¯s body as she fell. She pulled down her face covering. Blood dribbled out of He Xi¡¯s mouth, a broken voice clawing out of her throat: ¡°Jiang Ling, it¡­wasn¡¯t me, believe me¡­¡±


    ¡°He Xi! Tell me clearly!¡± Jiang Ling held He Xi¡¯s body close, ¡°He Xi, don¡¯t die!¡±


    ¡­


    ¡°Jiang Ling.¡±


    ¡°He Xi!¡± Jiang Ling was startled awake from her nightmare, her face covered in sweat, panting.


    ¡°You were having a nightmare.¡± He Xi reached out to wipe away Jiang Ling¡¯s sweat.


    ¡°He Xi, I¡¯m scared.¡± Jiang Ling grabbed He Xi¡¯s hand.


    ¡°What are you scared of?¡± He Xi¡¯s eyes twinkled with gentleness in the dim interior.


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid¡­¡± Afraid that you¡¯ll die. Jiang Ling could not get the words out, ¡°He Xi, sleep with me for a bit.¡±


    ¡°Hm?¡±


    ¡°Whenever I had nightmares before, my shijie would sleep with me. Stay with me.¡± Jiang Ling¡¯s voice was soft and sticky, like she was acting spoiled.


    ¡°I¡¯m not your shijie.¡± Even as she spoke these words, she laid down next to Jiang Ling with a little smile on her face. She¡¯s like a little child.


    Jiang Ling burrowed into He Xi¡¯s arms and shut her eyes, the soft touch sending tingles down He Xi¡¯s back.


    Jiang Ling unconsciously rubbed against He Xi, trying to find a comfortable position. He Xi gritted her teeth, enduring the strange sensation.


    This was her first time sharing a bed with someone. Now, laying so close to Jiang Ling, she started to regret it. Jiang Ling¡¯s warm body stuck to her, roasting her. She was vexed that, when Jiang Ling had asked her to sleep with her in that spoiled way, she had actually agreed.


    He Xi shifted to the side, but Jiang Ling tucked up even closer to her.


    He Xi struggled internally for a good while before, in the end, embracing Jiang Ling helplessly  and falling asleep.


    When she got up the next day, Jiang Ling was still not in good shape. The old couple saw that He Xi had woken up and cheerfully went to slaughter a chicken, to prepare chicken soup for He Xi.


    ¡°You aren¡¯t from the central plains?¡± The old woman noticed that He Xi¡¯s irises were of an unusual color. Before, since He Xi had been unconscious, she had not had the chance to see her irises and thought that she was from the central plains too.


    He Xi answered: ¡°No.¡±


    She did not remember her own parents clearly. All of her memories from her childhood are from when she was trafficked with her fellow slaves. They always called her ¡®Little Mutt,¡¯ and from what she remembered, her mother had indeed had beautiful raven-black hair, so perhaps she was.


    Jiang Ling was absentminded all day, sitting beside the table in a daze. The old man smacked the table in front of her, ¡°Jiang Ling, what¡¯s with the daydreaming? Go check on the chicken soup and give your sister a bowl.¡±


    ¡°Sister?¡± He Xi turned her head to look at Jiang Ling.


    Jiang Ling returned to her senses, ¡°What, you aren¡¯t my sister?¡± She forced a laugh then ran out of the kitchen.


    He Xi¡¯s injuries had mostly healed during the time she was unconscious, but the long period she spent in the little room had made her pale. The old woman¡¯s chicken soup helped her recover, and when she went for a stroll through the fields with the old woman, she tanned under the sun.


    ¡°Miss Jiang pulled these weeds over here, and she seeded this plot.¡± The old woman told He Xi what Jiang Ling had been up to while He Xi had been in a coma, ¡°A pity about her hand.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t take care of her well enough.¡± He Xi rebuked herself.


    ¡°Don¡¯t blame us old folks later. Miss Jiang is a martial artist. The old man had Miss Jiang carve those rocks to help her practice using her left hand.¡± The old woman was likewise a careful person.


    ¡°We¡¯ve really troubled you both, making you take care of us for so long.¡± He Xi said with heartfelt gratitude.


    The old woman said that it was no trouble. The two of them saw them as two more grandchildren.


    Jiang Ling was scolded by the old man. The stone from yesterday had been high in quality, with a fine, smooth texture. At the outset, he had come over to see how Jiang Ling was doing on her carving, having improved much over the past few days, but he did not expect that the stone had been irreparably scratched by Jiang Ling, wasting his good materials.


    As punishment, he made Jiang Ling search around for a large stone to carve ¡®Dao De Jing¡¯ onto.


    ¡°I can¡¯t recite ¡®Dao De Jing¡¯.[2]¡± Yun Yang had never forced her to recite these kinds of books.


    The old man angrily grabbed a copy of Dao De Jing from his collection and thrust it at Jiang Ling. Jiang Ling took the book and sat on the doorstep, carving the stone for an entire day.


    By the time Jiang Ling was finished, it was already dark outside. He Xi had hung a lantern next to her while she was entirely unaware, and it was not until she was completely finished that she noticed that her eyes were dry. She shook out her hands, rubbing her sore left hand, then went back to the room.


    He Xi was reclined against the headboard, a book in hand. She flipped through it carefully but did not lift her gaze to Jiang Ling. She was afraid that Jiang Ling would bring up sleeping together again; she had not slept well last night.


    Jiang Ling sat down at the table and had a drink of water. As before, her expression was vacant, her mind wandering.


    The time flowed by peacefully.


    ¡°Whoosh,¡± The book slipped onto the carpet. Jiang Ling glanced at the book, then saw He Xi¡¯s hand dangling off to the side. In a daze, Jiang Ling saw He Xi, her body covered in blood, laying in her own arms, her body gradually growing cold. The scene from her nightmare was slowly manifesting before her eyes.


    ¡°He Xi!¡± Jiang Ling rushed to the bed and hugged He Xi close, tears slipping out of her eyes, ¡°He Xi¡­ I believe you!¡±

 CH 33

    ¡°Why are you crying?¡± He Xi was startled awake by Jiang Ling¡¯s tears. As soon as she opened her eyes, she saw Jiang Ling¡¯s crying face as she held her close.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want you to die¡­¡± Jiang Ling seemed to still be immersed in grief. She looked up blankly from He Xi¡¯s embrace. With a smiling expression, He Xi¡¯s beautiful eyes gazed at Jiang Ling with an indiscernible tenderness shining through.


    Jiang Ling came back to her senses and realized that she had lost control of her emotions. Her face flushed, and she wiped away her tears, ¡°I¡­I won¡¯t cry for an enemy. Don¡¯t forget, before we¡¯ve investigated, you¡¯re still my enemy.¡± She turned away spitefully, not wanting to face He Xi.


    He Xi¡¯s gaze as she looked at Jiang Ling was very different tonight. Jiang Ling felt flustered for some reason, so she hid from it.


    He Xi¡¯s eyes curved into a smile, her heart brightening.


    This was her first seeing someone shed tears for her. Her heart softened, waves of feeling rippling through her heart. Her amber-colored eyes deepened, like she was deliberating something.


    She straightened up and grabbed Jiang Ling¡¯s hand, making her turn toward her. The corners of her rosy lips curled upward. She stared intently at Jiang Ling, her scorching gaze landing on Jiang Ling¡¯s face. In this moment, her world, her heart, were both seized by Jiang Ling; those waves in her heart surged.


    ¡°Jiang Ling, you care about me. I¡¯m so happy¡­¡± He Xi lowered her voice, thoroughly bewitching. She cradled Jiang Ling¡¯s face and softly wiped away the tear tracks with her thumb.


    Whatever He Xi said afterward, Jiang Ling did not hear a single word of it. There was a rushing in her ears, and she only saw He Xi¡¯s satiny lips open and close as she spoke.


    ¡°Jiang Ling.¡± A deep attraction burrowed into heart and perplexed her mind.


    He Xi¡¯s face suddenly grew larger, and while Jiang Ling reacted to her drawing near, He Xi¡¯s lips had already lightly brushed acrossed her¡¯s, like she was sampling the taste of some worldly treasure, carefully and cautiously. The soft, gentle touch of their lips made Jiang Ling tremble slightly.


    ¡°Wu¡­What are you doing?!¡± Jiang Ling put her hands on He Xi¡¯s shoulders and put distance between them, her dewy eyes filled with panic.


    ¡°The way you were looking at me just now. You were thinking of it, were you not?¡± He Xi tilted her head. Her beautiful irises gazed attentively at her, watching for her reaction.


    ¡°You¡¯re crazy, we¡­we¡­we¡¯re both¡­¡± Jiang Ling was frustrated and shamed into anger. She had been possessed just now, staring at He Xi¡¯s lips. She had not¡­had not had the intention to kiss He Xi¡­moreover, kissing was something between men and women, right?


    This sudden kiss had gone beyond Jiang Ling¡¯s notions of the world. She stared at He Xi, frightened out of her mind.


    ¡°I am crazy.¡± He Xi leaned forward once more and captured Jiang Ling¡¯s lips, kissing her deeper than before, ¡°Jiang Ling, don¡¯t reject me.¡±


    Jiang Ling was kissed until she was breathless. Her mind lost all ability to think, and she had not considered refusing before her reason was lost once more. She followed He Xi¡¯s actions and laid down on the bed¡­


    Jiang Ling felt that she was going crazy, too. The rushing in her ears grew louder and her consciousness blurred. He Xi¡¯s touch was not overtly scalding, yet it ignited her.


    He Xi brought her to an entirely new world, a warm one she loved, one impossible to leave once indulged. She and He Xi were like two fish in a river, unbridled and unrestrained.


    ¡­


    The noon sunlight streamed into the room. Jiang Ling furrowed her brow, like she was about to wake up.


    ¡°Awake?¡± He Xi said, her voice affectionate.


    Jiang Ling suddenly blinked open her eyes and found that He Xi was already up and dressed, sitting beside the bed, gazing at her attentively. She clutched the blanket and sat up. Her body still carried some embarrassing discomfiture. When she recalled what happened the previous night, her mind sizzled. She was crazy, absolutely insane.


    Jiang Ling¡¯s face flushed red then went pale, feeling that she had been bullied. She struck out with a fist, wanting to beat the chief culprit¡¯s beautiful face. Right, she must have been muddled by that face to do something as unbelievable as this.


    He Xi reached out and caught Jiang Ling¡¯s weak fist, saying, ¡°You¡¯re adorable when you¡¯re sleeping.¡±


    ¡°You!¡± Jiang Ling¡¯s tone was even more displeased.


    ¡°When you were begging me last night, you weren¡¯t this¡ªfierce.¡± He Xi¡¯s eyes curved into crescents, like she was savoring the aftertaste.


    ¡°Don¡¯t think about it!¡± Bashful, Jiang Ling threw herself at He Xi, covering He Xi¡¯s eyes with her hands. He Xi was thrown back by Jiang Ling¡¯s pounce and the two of them fell to the ground, the thick rug cushioning their fall so they were not hurt. Jiang Ling¡¯s body pressed down on He Xi, their bodies seeming to stick together. Jiang Ling was startled out of her wits by the accidental fall; He Xi¡¯s face was so very close.


    Time seemed to stand still. Jiang Ling lowered her head to look at He Xi beneath her. He Xi was smiling, Jiang Ling¡¯s own reflection in her seductive eyes. Jiang Ling was bewitched by her once again and quietly rested on her. He Xi¡¯s hands encircled her waist, gazing at her motionlessly.


    He Xi raised her head slightly, but just as her pink lips were going to make contact with Jiang Ling¡¯s, she abruptly sat up and pulled Jiang Ling into her arms. She grabbed the blanket off the bed with a free hand and wrapped Jiang Ling inside, turning Jiang Ling into a zongzi[1] before dumping her on the bed.


    Only then did Jiang Ling remember that she did not have a stitch of clothing on her. Her face immediately flushed bright red, and she buried her head into the blanket in silence.


    He Xi¡¯s eyes and brow were tinged with amorous feelings. She said gently: ¡°Wait for me to come back.¡± Just then, footsteps sounded outside the door; someone was coming. He Xi left, shutting the door behind her.


    Jiang Ling covered her mouth, sitting on the bed in a daze¡ªjust now, was He Xi going to kiss her again?


    ¡­


    As she waited for He Xi to return, Jiang Ling got dressed and sat on the rug, lost in thought. Seeing that He Xi came back, for a moment, Jiang Ling did not know how to face her. The room was stiflingly hot. She stood up, slipping past He Xi, wanting to walk out.


    ¡°Jiang Ling.¡± Just as Jiang Ling flitted by her, He Xi grabbed her wrist, ¡°Where are you going?¡±


    The smooth touch on her wrist made her break out in goosebumps, the sensations from last night floating up in her mind.


    She did not know where she was going, she just did not know how to face He Xi right now. Gritting her teeth, she threw off He Xi¡¯s hand and ran out of the room.


    Jiang Ling ran around the oasis aimlessly for a while. Eventually, she saw the little lake, the source of life in the oasis and the sight that had given them hope. Short trees grew beside the lake, a cool breeze sending ripples that scattered the sunlight reflecting off its surface. The trees¡¯ leaves rustled in the breeze, the crispness of the wind dousing the flames in Jiang Ling¡¯s heart. She found a tree and hid in its shade, shutting her eyes. She put what had happened out of her mind, forgetting her worries and enjoying the hard-sought peace.


    When she woke up, the sun had already traversed the sky to the west, its rays peeking out from the horizon. She rubbed her eyes, sitting up to lean her back against the tree.


    A figure sat beside the lake, the sight a bit lonesome; it was He Xi. Jiang Ling could not help but want to go over and give her a hug.


    Jiang Ling sighed, heading over to sit beside He Xi. He Xi sensed Jiang Ling¡¯s presence and slanted her head slightly to look at her. The evening breeze brushed past Jiang Ling¡¯s cheeks, stirring the wisps of her hair: a sight He Xi was fond of.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Right now, I can¡¯t accept it.¡± She wanted to flee¡ªflee somewhere where there was no one and forget what she had just done with He Xi. However, when she thought of how she would not be able to see He Xi, would never be able to hear her voice ever again, it felt like Jiang Ling¡¯s heart was being gouged out by a dagger.


    ¡°Hm?¡± He Xi had not expected that Jiang Ling would be the first to apologize. The moment Jiang Ling had run off, she had regretted¡ªregretted that her desire had overpowered her reason last night, and that she had scared Jiang Ling away.


    ¡°In the central plains, what happened between us is unheard of.¡± Jiang Ling had never known that two women could do this.


    ¡°I know.¡± It was seldom seen in Xiyu, as well.


    ¡°How long have you been here?¡±


    ¡°As long as you¡¯ve been out here.¡± She had actually sat here for the entire afternoon.


    ¡°I was afraid you¡¯d disappear just like that.¡± He Xi had been mindful of what she had to gain and what she had to lose. Xiyu was not bound by the same fetters of dogmatic courtesy and etiquette as the central plains were; if you liked someone, then you could pursue them intrepidly. It was like this for her as well. In the time she had been with Jiang Ling, her heart grew filled with Jiang Ling, and she had gradually come to understand her own feelings toward her. Certain of her own thoughts, she had acted on them, and Jiang Ling had not refused her. She thought that everything had happened so smoothly, and that she could be with Jiang Ling just like that.


    But when she saw Jiang Ling run away without a word, He Xi felt fear. She was afraid¡ªafraid that Jiang Ling would just run away, run back to the central plains, to a place she could not find her.


    And so, He Xi followed her closely until she saw Jiang Ling run up to the lakeside and fall asleep. The worries in her heart eased by half, and she sat beside the lake quietly, accompanying her.


    Jiang Ling was silent for a bit. She could not think of a response for He Xi, and figured they should talk when they returned.


    ¡°He Xi, let¡¯s head back.¡± Jiang Ling was a little hungry after being out for so long.


    The sunlight had been blindingly bright when she had left, and now the moon shone as she returned. The night air was brisk. Cold, Jiang Ling hugged herself, rubbing her arms to warm up.


    Suddenly, there was a warmth in her hand. He Xi had reached out and caught Jiang Ling¡¯s hand, their fingers lacing together, ¡°It¡¯s cold, let¡¯s hurry back.¡±


    Saying as much, she tugged on Jiang Ling¡¯s hand, pulling her into a run. The two of them were the sole figures under the gentle moonlight.


    When they arrived, they saw the old woman gripping the fence, her face filled with worry as she looked about. Seeing the two of them return, she felt relieved, telling them that if a conflict ever arose between sisters, they should not run away recklessly, and should instead go back to their room.


    At noon, the old woman had seen the two of them run out one after the other and felt certain that there had been an argument. She fretted over them, but seeing how they were right now, the conflict must have been resolved.


    Jiang Ling went back to their room and, upon seeing He Xi¡¯s bed still lying there in disarray, she was reminded of everything that had happened last night. Her emotions, which had initially stabilized somewhat, were stirred up again. Her cheeks burned, and she stood off to the side, neither advancing nor retreating.


    He Xi walked over to tidy up of her own accord.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to sleep¡­¡± Jiang Ling did not look at He Xi as she rolled up in her blanket and shut her eyes.


    Jiang Ling had slept too much that day and could not sleep at all. She forced herself not to think about it, but her efforts backfired. The more she tried not to think about it, the more vivid the images in her mind¡¯s eye were, and the faster her heart beat.


    Jiang Ling tossed and turned, and all the while, the person who had done this to her was snoozing peacefully. The more she thought about it, the more irritated she felt. She had to get even; she would not take such bullying lying down.


    And so, she slipped into He Xi¡¯s bed like a fish, pressing her down.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± He Xi was unsurprised by Jiang Ling¡¯s sudden appearance. Her hands naturally held Jiang Ling¡¯s waist and traced circles with her fingers, immediately setting Jiang Ling alight.


    ¡°You bullied me last night, so I¡¯m going to bully you back. I won¡¯t be on the losing end.¡±


    He Xi raised her head, her lips pressing against Jiang Ling¡¯s ear and she exhaled a hot breath.


    ¡°Can you.¡± A provocation.


    Jiang Ling shivered from He Xi¡¯s enticement. Her expression froze, and she took a deep breath, ¡°Just you wait.¡± Learning from He Xi¡¯s movements, she returned each of them to her.


    After their storm of passion[2] ended, Jiang Ling returned to her own bed, satisfied. Tucked into her blanket, she said, ¡°Now we¡¯re even.¡±


    He Xi returned to her senses, her voice low and hoarse, ¡°You have to make this kind of thing clear, too?¡± When dealing with Jiang Ling, who always had to make every little thing clear, she could not help but want to chuckle.


    Jiang Ling buried her head, ¡°Of course!¡±

 CH 34

    Chapter 34: Xue Fang


    ¡°Have you two reconciled?¡± The old woman saw them sitting far away from each other without speaking a word during breakfast.


    Jiang Ling occupied herself with the food in front of her while He Xi sipped her porridge with her usual elegance.


    ¡°He Xi, what¡¯s this?¡± The old woman knitted her eyebrows, gesturing to a spot between her neck and clavicle, ¡°Why is there a red mark?¡±


    He Xi rubbed her collar bone, glanced at Jiang Ling, then said with a smile, ¡°Seems like I was bitten by a bug when I went out yesterday. The bump appeared yesterday. It itches a little bit.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Jiang Ling ducked her head even more.


    ¡°So inattentive. Does it still itch? I have some ointment in my room I can go grab for you.¡± The old woman warm-heartedly tugged on He Xi, making to bring her over to her room.


    ¡°Pa¡ª¡± Jiang Ling quickly dropped the bowl in her hands and stood up, ¡°I¡¯m going outside to catch the bugs!¡±


    ¡°No need for all this fuss.¡± The old man could not hold back anymore, ¡°It¡¯s just a bug bite, not a snakebite. Sit down and drink your porridge.¡±


    Jiang Ling could only sit down obediently and drink her porridge.


    ¡°Girls, in a bit, go to the left-hand plot and harvest the sweet potatoes. Tomorrow you can sell them at the market.¡± The old man was a realist. Now that he had two young people living in his home, he would most assuredly put them to use.


    Jiang Ling had grown up on Minghe Mountain and was accustomed to this kind of manual labor, but she had not expected He Xi, who looked quite well-to-do, to likewise be an old hand.


    Jiang Ling carried a basket on her back, dusting the dirt off the potatoes He Xi collected and placing them inside. Little by little, they gathered two baskets full.


    He Xi did not have any intentions of talking, but Jiang Ling could not help but want to chat with her, ¡°Oh¡­He Xi, why are you so fair?¡±


    The Xiyu people that Jiang Ling knew were all like Shangguan Qing and cared for their appearance. Their skin was a pretty wheat color, not as white as He Xi. And He Xi, having lived so long in the desert, was actually luminescently pale. She felt injustice on Shangguan Qing¡¯s behalf.


    ¡°Born with it.¡± If Shangguan Qing heard her say this, she would definitely start a fight.


    ¡°¡­¡±


    He Xi put her hoe down then walked up and knelt beside Jiang Ling, grabbing all of the sweet potatoes with swift movements and tossing them into the basket carried on her back.


    ¡°You¡¯re also very fair.¡± He Xi carefully observed Jiang Ling.


    ¡°Flattery.¡± Jiang Ling lifted her sleeve and put it up beside He Xi¡¯s. Understanding her intention, He Xi also lifted her sleeve, and the two of them compared. As it happened, Jiang Ling was actually more tan than He Xi. Jiang Ling lamented the heavens¡¯ injustice even more.


    Their arms brushed each other¡¯s. Jiang Ling felt that He Xi was standing too close, the atmosphere a little off. Embarrassed, she retracted her arm and picked up the basket, walking in front of He Xi.


    The two of them headed back under the setting sun.


    Jiang Ling put down her basket and grabbed a trowel, digging a small pit in the courtyard. She put a bundle of kindling in the pit and lit a fire. He Xi was confused.


    ¡°Roasted sweet potatoes.¡± Seeing that the firewood was burning well enough, she dropped the sweet potatoes into the fire and covered it, ¡°They¡¯ll be ready in a while.¡±


    ¡°Did you used to do these things with your shixiong?¡± He Xi said meaningfully.


    ¡°Yup, we would catch wild game on the mountain all the time.¡± Jiang Ling reminisced, ¡°But it only tasted special when we sprinkled your Xiyu spices on it.¡±


    ¡°What kind of relationship did you have with your shixiong?¡±


    ¡°A shixiong-shimei relationship.¡± Jiang Ling scrunched her brows together. He Xi was asking her about her relationship with her shixiong today. Even though she just about believed that He Xi did not kill her shixiong, she should not be this persistent in her questioning, ¡°Today, you¡­¡± Halfway through her sentence, Jiang Ling realized He Xi¡¯s intent. She blushed, ¡°Not that kind of relationship¡­¡±


    Jiang Ling rambled, afraid He Xi would misunderstand something, at the same time feeling that her explanation seemed to admit to her and He Xi having some kind of relationship. She was already even with He Xi, so they did not have any kind of connection.


    ¡°Cumin.¡± He Xi said out of the blue.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°The spice you mentioned before. If you like it, we can buy some at the market tomorrow.¡± A smile was hanging off He Xi¡¯s lips.


    ¡°Little Jiang[1], you¡¯re cooking sweet potatoes?¡± Smelling the potatoes, the old man came outside, ¡°I haven¡¯t eaten them in ages, since I was little. Honey, come outside.¡±


    The four of them sat in the courtyard, eating Jiang Ling¡¯s sweet potatoes. The old couple said, ¡°It¡¯s like we really have two more children. Much more lively.¡±


    ¡°Sir, Madam,[2] if you like them, I will roast sweet potatoes for you every day.¡±


    He Xi¡¯s eyes glimmered. This was something that she had never experienced. Although she viewed Luo Zhu as her own father, the closest they had gotten would be a master-disciple relationship. She had never known this familial feeling, something that Jiang Ling had made her readily experience. She even felt that, if she should spend her life here secluded from the world and relieved of her enminities, that would not be unacceptable. But, one must always wake from a beautiful dream.


    The next day, they walked the horse with two sacks on its back toward the market. Because of their uncommon color, He Xi easily hid her eyes to avoid undue attention.


    ¡°Poor horse. It could bring its rider over one thousand li[3], but now it¡¯s become a pack donkey.¡± Jiang Ling stroked the horse¡¯s mane sympathetically, ¡°From now on we¡¯ll call you Little Donkey.¡±


    Little Donkey whinied, disagreeing with Jiang Ling¡¯s words, ¡°You agreed. Now, we¡¯ll call you Little Donkey.¡± Jiang Ling was cheerful.


    He Xi could not hold back her smile, ¡°You think it looks happy, do you?¡±


    ¡°I think it looks very happy.¡±


    ¡­


    The sweet potatoes sold for some good money. Jiang Ling had also brought her own carvings along to exchange, but none of the vendors liked them, so she left disappointed. He Xi bought her a bag of cummin. After they finished everything, they went back with the horse.


    Before they even entered the oasis, they sensed a dangerous atmosphere.


    Footprints were all over the road, letting them know that several people had arrived at the oasis.


    The two of them hid behind a tuft of grass beside the old couple¡¯s home. Immediately, they saw that the house was surrounded by Manichaen mounts. The old couple were standing in front of their home facing the leader of the party: Guardian King Wu Ji, ¡°I¡¯ve heard that you are harboring two women?¡±


    ¡°Harboring? They¡¯re my own grandchildren!¡± The old man said fearlessly.


    ¡°Old man, I¡¯d advise you to be a little more sensible.¡± A follower pointed his blade at the old man, swearing.


    ¡°They¡¯re our granddaughters that¡¯ve home to visit us.¡± The old woman stepped forward, ¡°You¡­ai!¡±


    The old woman had not yet finished speaking before she was snatched away, a sword at her neck.


    ¡°You!¡± The old man¡¯s eyes were filled with anger. He said menacingly, ¡°Release her.¡±


    ¡°Old man, if you keep lying, your wife will die!¡± He raised his blade.


    ¡­


    ¡°They¡¯ve gone too far!¡± Jiang Ling could not restrain herself and had to be held back by He Xi.


    ¡°If you go out now, you¡¯re just playing right into their hands.¡±


    ¡°Then what should we do?¡±


    ¡°They won¡¯t kill anyone. Let¡¯s just wait and see.¡± Wu Ji was not an indiscriminate killer.


    ¡­


    The follower¡¯s actions infuriated the old man, ¡°As I¡¯ve said, they¡¯re my granddaughters.¡±


    In an instant, the follower¡¯s blade was sent flying, landing in the sand dune several zhang away. Everyone was startled, having not seen clearly what had happened. All they could see was that that old man¡¯s hand was already on the follower¡¯s chest, and with a burst of qi, the follower was also sent flying, whacking against a row of fences. His face twisted in pain, writhing on the ground and clutching his chest.


    The old woman was free. She walked to the old man.


    Jiang Ling and He Xi were both shocked by how much the old man had hidden from them.


    Wu Ji¡¯s expression was strained. Seeing that the old man was skilled, he seemed to have recalled something from the past. He cupped his hands politely, ¡°May I be so bold as to ask for this senior¡¯s name[4]?¡±


    ¡°Humph. Do you deserve to hear it?¡± The old man put his hands behind his back, standing up straight, ¡°Call your leader over.¡±


    Wu Ji seemed to have guessed the old man¡¯s identity and became reverent in speech, ¡°Senior, the leader has just gone to meet the Holy Father. He was poisoned by traitorous followers. This junior is present here to arrest them.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡± After many years of living in seclusion, he had heard of his old friend¡¯s passing, ¡°That was not our granddaughters¡¯ doing. You should leave.¡± He made to bring the old woman back inside.


    ¡°Senior!¡± Wu Ji had things he further wanted to say, but he was afraid that he would make the old man displeased, and could only leave in a huff.


    The two of them watched the disciples leave before going back inside. The old couple were already sitting there, waiting for them.


    ¡°Did you poison Azar?¡± The old man said flatly.


    The two of them shook their heads simultaneously. The old man let out a sigh of relief, ¡°If you two had truly poisoned Azar, I would never have let you off.¡±


    Jiang Ling did not know the relationship the old man had with the Manichaens, ¡°Then for the Manichean leader who¡¯d drink people¡¯s blood out of some strange affliction, being poisoned to death by his own people is his just dessert.¡±


    ¡°Jiang Ling.¡± He Xi tugged on Jiang Ling¡¯s hand, indicating for her to say nothing more.


    ¡°Oh?¡± The old man was even more taciturn, ¡°Do you have evidence?¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± Jiang Ling had only heard someone¡¯s explanation of the notice¡¯s contents, ¡°They said on the notice that they poisoned Shahai Village and took the sick people left behind to the demon so he could drink their blood.¡±


    The old man did not comment.


    ¡°Jiang Ling is the evidence.¡± He Xi said, ¡°I rescued Jiang Ling from Zhu Li that day.¡± He Xi could roughly guess what would have happened to Jiang Ling if she had not taken her from A Lu. Jiang Ling had been muddled by illness and thus unaware of what had occured. Hearing of it now, Jiang Ling was touched.


    ¡°You mean that Zhu Li did it?¡± The old man had some impression of Zhu Li. He had been one of the youths traveling alongside Azar back in the day who had not liked people from the central plains with a relationship with Azar that could be considered respectful. The other had been quite good, learning the written and spoken Han language with zeal.


    He Xi bowed, ¡°Forgive this junior¡¯s transgression. Senior, if you may, would you inform this junior of your name.¡±


    ¡°Just an alias from Jianghu.¡± The old man stroked his beard, ¡°Xue Fang.¡±


    ¡°Xue Fang!¡± The two of them called simultaneously.


    Jiang Ling knelt, ¡°This disciple greets senior-shishu.¡± Who would have known that the old man was Lu Yi-shizun¡¯s long lost shidi, living here in seclusion.


    ¡°So you are the disciple of Lu-shixiong¡¯s disciple. You really are a granddaughter.¡± The old man joyfully rushed to help Jiang Ling up.


    He Xi was glad that Jiang Ling and Xue Fang had this kind of connection. She had once heard Luo Zhu mention that the leader had a good friend named Xue Fang from the central plains, who was like an old friend upon their first meeting. They even exchanged martial arts knowledge. Perhaps there was hope for Jiang Ling¡¯s hand.


    ¡°Senior, I¡¯m wondering if you¡¯ve heard of the Soul-Locking Needle.¡± He Xi placed her hopes on Xue Fang.

 CH 35

    Chapter 35: Resolving the Needle


    ¡°The Manichaens are still using this kind of lousy thing to harm others?¡± Xue Fang snorted, holding the Soul-Locking Needle in contempt.


    He Xi grabbed Jiang Ling¡¯s right hand and lifted the sleeve, revealing her pale, slender wrist, ¡°Senior, are you able to remove it?¡±


    ¡°Come over, let me have a look.¡±


    Xue Fang held Jiang Ling by the hand and slowly swept two fingers filled with internal force down from her elbow toward her hand. When he reached her wrist, Jiang Ling felt extreme pain and discomfort and wanted to retract her hand, but because she thought it would be disrespectful to do so, she endured the sensation.


    ¡°It¡¯s the Soul-Locking Needle.¡± Xue Fang withdrew his internal force and released Jiang Ling¡¯s hand.


    Once her hand was free, Jiang Ling drew it back and held it close to her chest.


    ¡°How long have you had it?¡±


    ¡°Over a month.¡±


    ¡°Then there¡¯s still time. The needle resides in the meridians. Over time, it will grow in length and be impossible to heal.¡±


    ¡°Senior-shishu can resolve it, right?¡± Jiang Ling had been prepared to lose the use of her right hand and had never expected she would encounter someone skilled enough to resolve it through a chance meeting. She was overflowing with happiness at the thought.


    ¡°Tell me how you both landed in this kind of situation.¡±


    The two of them told him everything, from the febrile disease in Shahai Village to their eventual escape as fugitives.


    ¡°Azar met this kind of difficult ending.¡± Xue Fang inevitably felt sentimental.


    ¡°Why is Senior-shishu living in seclusion here? Shizun was still concerned about you before his passing.¡± Jiang Ling recalled that when his three disciples had rushed to his side prior to his death, Lu Yi-zhenren had spoken of missing two people: his disciple who had died young and his shidi that had hidden in Jianghu for so many years without news.


    ¡°So shixiong has also¡­¡± Hearing the news of his old friends passing one after the other, Xue Fang collapsed into a chair, ¡°So it is. In the end, I¡¯m the one who¡¯s wrong, shixiong. Come see me tomorrow, and I¡¯ll resolve the needle.¡±


    Xue Fang also explained to them why he lived in seclusion. He and Lu Yi had grown up together as sect brothers. He loved to travel, so many years ago, he had traveled all across the land. In Xiyu, he met the young leader-to-be Azar, and the two of them became fast friends, even exchanging martial arts knowledge.


    For this reason, Azar had made many trips to the central plains and admired the beautiful landscapes.


    When Azar succeeded the previous leader of the Manichaens, he encouraged the friendly relationship between themselves and the central plains, and for a time, there was peace. After the great shift in his mental state, he and Xue Fang had drifted apart.


    After the fight between the Manichaens and the central plains, Xue Fang blamed himself for not advising his friend against it and for the great blow to his shixiong¡¯s cultivation. He did not have the face to return to his sect, and so, he brought his wife into seclusion beyond the central plains.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know that he had a past like this.¡± Jiang Ling sat cross-legged on her bed, sighing with feeling, ¡°Shizun always remembered him and never meant to blame him.¡±


    ¡°He just never got through the obstacle in his heart.¡± He Xi sat on the rug, her back resting against Jiang Ling¡¯s bed.


    ¡°What about you?¡± He Xi turned around and held Jiang Ling¡¯s wrist lightly. Jiang Ling instinctively wanted to pull her hand away, as she was still unused to touching He Xi. However, He Xi held her wrist a bit tighter, gazing at Jiang Ling¡¯s face as she tried to glean her answer.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Just now, when Senior Xue was testing the needle, your complexion did not look good.¡± A trace of loneliness flashed across He Xi¡¯s face, and she let her go, ¡°Was it painful?¡±


    ¡°Mhm.¡± Jiang Ling took her hand back and rubbed it, ¡°I don¡¯t know if the Manichaens will come back.¡±


    ¡°If they don¡¯t come here, then they¡¯ll lie in wait for us elsewhere.¡± He Xi pondered the issue. They should not remain here for too much longer; The Xue couple had already helped them so much, ¡°We have to leave. We can¡¯t give them any more trouble.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s return to the central plains.¡± Jiang Ling thought about going back to the central plains. Everything had been pretty much investigated. Regarding the little tiger cub¡¯s cousin, she could only await an outcome from Shangguan Qing¡¯s investigation. If there was no news, then perhaps the worst case scenario had occurred. Furthermore, there was also her shixiong¡¯s death. She had to go back and speak with Gu Shi to see if there were any other suspicious persons in Qingshan besides the Manichaens that night.


    ¡°Go to the central plains, hm?¡±


    He Xi could never have foretold that one day she would be exiled from the land she had grown up in by the Manichaens. She had recovered the Holy Fire Order; Jiang Ling had helped her retain it when she had been injured. If she were to return to the Manichaen Sect with it now, Zhu Li would only brand her as a thief. She had to find a way to contact the Guardian King Sang Ji, a neutral party. She could only find him on her own and try to win him over; perhaps there could be a turnaround. However, the one Zhu Li had sent out was Wu Ji, who was both blindly loyal and handled things without critical thinking. He would never listen to her explanation.


    ¡°Yes, the central plains. A Qing knows more than I do. Perhaps she would know who in jianghu likes to use poisoned needles, and we could make things clear.¡±


    ¡°A Qing?¡± He Xi frowned.


    ¡°Shangguan Qing. The one I mentioned before, Shen Xiuqi¡¯s shimei. We¡¯re good sisters.¡±


    ¡°You and her are quite close.¡±


    ¡°We met at the Sword Conference. She knows everything, a regular Bai Xiaosheng[1].¡± Jiang Ling was entirely unaware of the bitterness in the air.


    He Xi felt upset. Ever since that time, Jiang Ling had always kept her distance from her, like there were ordinary friends. Jiang Ling could abandon her best chance of returning to the central plains for Zhuo Zhuo, even braving the dangers of the febrile disease to take care of him, despite only knowing him for a few days. Moreover, she could become a close sister of Shangguan Qing after knowing her for less than a fortnight. Then why could she not take a step closer to her?


    He Xi pressed her palms against Jiang Ling¡¯s bed and stood up, like she wanted to envelop Jiang Ling in her own shadow as she sat cross-legged on the bed. As Jiang Ling saw He Xi¡¯s beautiful face draw closer, she involuntarily swallowed. The atmosphere around them turned strange. The pressure she could not endure from He Xi suddenly retreated. He Xi stood up and laid down on her own bed, saying: ¡°We¡¯ll go to the central plains once your hand is better.¡±


    Jiang Ling covered her chest. He Xi had just been standing up. Jiang Ling had thought that He Xi was going to do something, but after seeing that she was just standing up, Jiang Ling felt crestfallen. Covering her chest, Jiang Ling laid down on her bed.


    ¡­


    The next day, the two of them appeared before Xue Fang.


    ¡°The Soul-Locking Needle cannot be removed once inserted.¡± Xue Fang explained as he held Jiang Ling¡¯s right hand, ¡°The method for resolving the needle is to use a strong internal force and a special technique to catalyze the needle, then clear out the meridians.¡±


    Xue Fang¡¯s face was lined with worry, ¡°But the pain of this process will be hard to endure.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not afraid of pain, Sir.¡± Jiang Ling wore a tenacious expression as she prepared to endure.


    ¡°Haha, hearing you call me that makes me feel like you¡¯re my granddaughter. Rest assured, your grandfather here will get rid of this needle for you.[2]¡± Xue Fang did not have any sons or daughters at his knee, so the sudden appearance of Jiang Ling and He Xi had made them enjoy the closeness of having a family for the short time they had known each other.


    Xue Fang covered Jiang Ling¡¯s wrist and probed her meridians. Just as his internal force started dredging her meridians, his expression shifted and he retracted his hand.


    He Xi asked nervously: ¡°Senior, what¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°What relationship does Miss Jiang have with Azar?¡± Just as Xue Fang probed her meridians, Jiang Ling¡¯s scorching hot qi forced his internal force out of her meridians, exactly as Azar¡¯s qi had behaved after his descent into the demonic arts.


    Jiang Ling was puzzled by his question, ¡°I don¡¯t know him¡­¡± She did not even know what Azar looked like. She glanced up at He Xi, doubtful.


    He Xi was confused, ¡°Senior, is there something wrong?¡±


    ¡°Little Jiang, do you ever get emotionally distrubed while using your martial arts?¡± Xue Fang asked.


    ¡°A little bit. My chest feels stuffy.¡± Jiang Ling continued, ¡°I seem to have¡­seem to have hurt people while I was unaware, but I haven¡¯t recently.¡± Jiang Ling had practiced heart calming exercises each day. Since then, the symptoms have eased.


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t use internal force from now on. Your qi is willful and overbearing. You won¡¯t be able to control it with your abilities.¡± Xue Fang did not know why, despite having not a single connection between them, Jiang Ling and Azar had exactly the same kind of qi. Fortunately, Jiang Ling¡¯s affliction was not very severe. If she did not use her internal force, then it would not affect her life. Jiang Ling nodded.


    ¡°Hold on.¡± Xue Fang covered her hand again and began clearing her meridians once more.


    The acute pain of the needle being purged compounded with the clash of their qis made her arms feel like it was being slowly sawed off by a serrated blade. The pain made Jiang Ling break out in sweat, grit her teeth, twist her face in pain. As an observer, He Xi was distressed and held Jiang Ling, who buried herself in her arms, shaking like a leaf. Her left hand clamped down on He Xi¡¯s clothing, and in no time, it was soaked with Jiang Ling¡¯s tears as she cried from the pain.


    Xue Fang was having trouble, as well. Originally, he need only catalyze the needle, but now, he had to wrangle with Jiang Ling¡¯s overbearing qi, doubling the work. By the time he was finished purging the needle, he was likewise covered in sweat, which dripped down into his beard.


    The old woman rushed forward to wipe away his sweat and supported him as he went to rest. Xue Fang stopped and turned his head. He said, exhausted, ¡°Your hand will slowly recover now.¡± Then, he returned to his room.


    He Xi rolled her sleeve down and gently held her hand for a while. In her embrace, Jiang Ling lifted her tear-stained face, ¡°It hurts, He Xi. It hurts so much.¡±


    He Xi wiped away her tears. When her flesh had been gouged away before to cure her infection, she had not made a sound. She must be in agony this time, ¡°Now it won¡¯t hurt anymore.¡± He Xi stroked Jiang Ling¡¯s hair, holding her close.


    ¡­


    ¡°How is it?¡± The old woman supported Xue Fang as he went to rest.


    ¡°It¡¯s resolved, but Miss Jiang¡¯s qi is overbearing and I¡¯ve lost a few years of cultivation.¡± Xue Fang waved his hand, ¡°I¡¯m old anyway. It¡¯s no use worrying over a bit of cultivation.¡±


    ¡°With two more kids in our home, this is good as well.¡± The old woman smiled.


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid they won¡¯t be staying for long. Because of my friendship with Azar, they will give me the barest bit of face and will not be back soon. But Azar is gone now, after all, so they will be back eventually. They ah, they are afraid to implicate us.¡± Xue Fang sighed. Such was the fate of destined meetings: the arrival sudden and the departure unexpected.


    ¡­


    Jiang Ling gradually returned to herself. Seeing that she had wetted a patch on He Xi¡¯s clothes with her tears, she turned around and wiped her face.


    ¡°¡­¡± Jiang Ling had a strange sort of pride in some rather strange ways. He Xi rubbed her temples, ¡°This isn¡¯t the first time you¡¯ve weeped in front of me.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡± Jiang Ling sniffled, ¡°I¡¯m going to see him.¡±


    ¡°And let him see your cry-face?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡± He Xi always saw Jiang Ling when she was in an embarrassing situation. Every time Jiang Ling was with He Xi, she could add another such situation to her count, ¡°I¡¯m going to go rest, then.¡±

 CH 36

    Chapter 36: Obstruction


    Content warning: animal death, also a bit of homophobia (nothing egregious, just thought I¡¯d mention it)


    Jiang Ling¡¯s right hand gradually recovered its strength. While she could not wield her sword, she could now use her hand for daily activities. She was not idle, either; she repaired the fence smashed by the Manichaen disciple that day.


    Now that she was almost better, they thought they ought to leave now. They packed up their things and went to bid the old couple farewell.


    Jiang Ling knelt in front of Xue Fang and offered him three ketows, ¡°Senior-shishu¡­Sir, thank you for sheltering us. And my hand¡­I, Jiang Ling, do not know how I can ever repay you.¡±


    ¡°Hmph, you little ingrates, scampering off and abandoning us old folks.¡± Xue Fang straightened his neck, not looking at either of them.


    The old woman wiped away the tears at the corners of her eyes and supported Jiang Ling up, ¡°Don¡¯t listen to him. The old man just can¡¯t bear to part with you both. If you could, come back and visit us old folks when you are free.¡±


    ¡°Mhm.¡± The two of them answered.


    Xue Fang took out a bag of silver and placed it on the table, ¡°Here¡¯s the money from the things you¡¯ve sold. Don¡¯t forget to bring it.¡±


    He Xi pushed the bag of silver away, ¡°Senior Xue, we¡¯ve already taken so much, we¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s yours if I say it¡¯s yours.¡± Xue Fang insisted, ¡°I¡¯m perfectly happy to give my own granddaughters some money.¡±


    He Xi was moved.


    As she waited for Jiang Ling to say her final words to Xue Fang, He Xi went to ready Little Donkey.


    ¡°After you return, don¡¯t forget to practice your carving. Next time we meet, I¡¯ll be sure to check your progress.¡± Xue Fang patted Jiang Ling on the shoulder.


    ¡°Mhm.¡± Jiang Ling¡¯s eyes grew misty, for she felt reluctant to part, ¡°Take care of yourselves. We will be back to visit you both.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine as long as you remember us.¡± Xue Fang waved a hand, motioning for Jiang Ling to set off.


    Jiang Ling pressed her lips together, then made up her mind and ran to He Xi¡¯s side, waving back at the old couple as she called: ¡°Sir, Madam, goodbye!¡±


    The Xue couple stood at the entrance of their home, sending them off with a smile and tears in their eyes.


    He Xi was enveloped in He Xi¡¯s embrace as she rode the horse. She scooted forward, but He Xi stuck even closer to her, so she admitted defeat and let He Xi hold her. ¡°Where are we going?¡±


    He Xi propped her chin up in Jiang Ling¡¯s shoulder, ¡°I want to go to the Lake of Rebirth[1] for something.¡±


    Jiang Ling turned her head, ¡°What is that?¡±


    ¡°The Holy Land of the Manichaens.¡±


    Little Donkey¡¯s hooves kicked up sand as they headed toward the Lake of Rebirth.


    The Lake of Rebirth was in an oasis to the northwest of the Manichaen Sect. It served as the Manichaens¡¯ Holy Land, so naturally no commoners would be living there, and only on special occasions would fresh converts be baptized in its waters. Under normal circumstances, there would only be a few followers left to guard it.


    Silver needles flashed in the night, soundlessly felling the followers set to guard the lake. He Xi and Jiang Ling rushed past and arrived at the Lake of Rebirth.


    The medium size lake reflected the silver light of the moon, but in its center lay an island. White-topped reeds lined the outside of the lake and the island. Enormous poplar trees grew on the island, their thick foliage enough to blot out the sky.


    The two of them stepped across the lake and entered the forest.


    ¡°Wait.¡± He Xi landed on the ground. Jiang Ling thought that the item He Xi had come for was located on the island, but who knew that He Xi would dive into the water like a fish, the surface rippling slightly before returning to its tranquil state.


    Seeing that the water had calmed but He Xi had yet to return, Jiang Ling descended and knelt beside the water, anxiously trying to find a glimpse of He Xi.


    ¡°Whoosh¡ª¡± He Xi leapt out of the water with a rush of water droplets. Jiang Ling sat on the ground, looking up at He Xi. He Xi¡¯s clothes were soaked through, her hems dripping water as the fabric stuck close to her skin, revealing her exquisite curves under the moonlight. Jiang Ling stared at her in a daze as she sat on the ground motionless.


    He Xi had a wooden case in her hands. Seeing the dumbfounded Jiang Ling sitting on the ground, she whispered, ¡°Come on.¡±


    In the blink of an eye, she disappeared into the forest. When the water droplets splashed onto her face, she returned to her senses. Jiang Ling¡¯s throat went dry. She swallowed, then got up and followed her into the forest.


    ¡°Hand me the clothing.¡± He Xi reached out and grabbed the bundle off Jiang Ling¡¯s back. It took too long to dry the clothing with internal force, and in the desert, wearing wet clothing could be life threatening, so she had prepared an additional set.


    ¡°What¡­what are you doing?¡± Seeing He Xi starting to take off her clothing, a blush stained Jiang Ling¡¯s cheeks. She looked around, but luckily the foliage provided enough coverage to shield them from view.


    A wet layer of clothing was tossed into Jiang Ling¡¯s hands. Jiang Ling rushed to shake open the garment and hold it in front of He Xi, hiding her red face behind the clothes.


    He Xi chuckled at Jiang Ling¡¯s bashful expression, ¡°Anyone who didn¡¯t know would think that you were the one who¡¯s changing.¡± She pinched the sleeves of her middle clothes and put on a dry outer robe.


    He Xi bundled up the wet clothing in Jiang Ling¡¯s hands and placed it into the bag, then returned it to Jiang Ling.


    ¡°So fast?¡±


    ¡°Anything else you¡¯d like to see?¡± He Xi slanted a look at Jiang Ling before grabbing a strip of linen and wrapping it around the wooden case, strapping it to her back.


    ¡°You!¡± Jiang Ling suddenly became competitive.


    ¡°I¡¯ll give you a look when we get back.¡± He Xi reached out to brush aside the foliage, making sure that no one was around, ¡°This place won¡¯t work.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡± Jiang Ling vowed to never speak to He Xi ever again.


    The leaves swayed under the moonlight, quietly bidding farewell to its passing travelers.


    Jiang Ling went along with He Xi as she skirted around the roadside hamlets and villages, only resting in a few scattered, deserted oases. After braving the elements on their way, they arrived at the Yumen Pass within a few days.


    Na Cuo and Wu Ji were waiting by the Yumen Pass, hoping for an opportunity.


    ¡°The Guardian King is remarkably prophetic. They did decide to return to the central plains.¡± Na Cuo and his group were hidden behind two barren hills.


    ¡°They no longer have a safe haven in Xiyu. The Saintess is injured, as well. Returning to the central plains is a foregone conclusion.¡± He Xi had escaped under Wu Ji¡¯s nose time and time again. Wu Ji could not let such a thing go; He Xi must be captured here and now, ¡°Today, we will obtain a gift for my lord¡¯s succession as leader.¡±


    ¡°Who is the person with the Saintess?¡± The central plains person was quite skilled, for she had taken someone away while dodging his arrows. All of He Xi¡¯s close subordinantes had been killed, and no one else would answer to her. If she had not been there previously, He Xi would have already been captured.


    Na Cuo was likewise unsure. He Xi had hidden a little toy boy then sent him back to the central plains. How could He Xi have another central plains woman with her so soon, ¡°Who knew that the Saintess had so many friends from the central plains ah. Lord Guardian King, if we leave such a person in the sect, sooner or later, the central plains will rule over the Manichaens.¡±


    ¡°Naturally, the sect will not suffer the yoke of the central plains.¡± Wu Ji¡¯s gaze concealed a wrath as he notched an arrow, taking aim at them.


    ¡°He Xi, it¡¯s too quiet.¡± They were about to enter the Pass, but the fortifications around them were unnaturally quiet. There was a problem for sure.


    ¡°Let¡¯s stay vigilant.¡±


    Just as she spoke, several arrows pierced the air like an eagle hurtling toward its prey.


    Jiang Ling grabbed He Xi by the waist and kicked off from the stirrups, separating them from Little Donkey and dodging the arrows as they landed by the roadside.


    Little Donkey cried out a long whinny before collapsing to the ground. Blood gushed out of its abdomen as it struggled to rise.


    ¡°Little Donkey!¡± Seeing Little Donkey¡¯s struggles grow weaker and weaker, Jiang Ling¡¯s heart tightened, ¡°It¡¯s him again!¡¯ It was the hidden archer!


    ¡°Show yourselves if you¡¯re so capable!¡± Jiang Ling howled into the barren hills around them.


    ¡°Just who are you? So the one the Saintess was concealing was a woman.¡± Na Cuo flew down and blocked their path. When he saw Jiang Ling¡¯s appearance, he was even more irate. He had been injured by her when he had underestimated her. He scoffed, ¡°I never thought that the Great Saintess of the Manichaen Sect would be into this sort of thing.¡±


    Seeing Na Cuo ridicule He Xi, rage churned within Jiang Ling¡¯s chest, ¡°What did you say?!¡±


    ¡°So what if I am.¡± He Xi said calmly. Jiang Ling had not expected He Xi to be so transparent about their awkward relationship. She turned her head and glanced at He Xi. He Xi looked entirely at ease, as if everything were only a matter of course.


    ¡°The Saintess may rest assured. You will not be alone when I send you on your way.¡± The pebbles crunched under his feet; he was ready to strike.


    ¡°Watch out for the archer.¡± Jiang Ling reminded. As she pivoted her body, she saw dozens of Manichaen followers cutting off their retreat and converging to surround them on both sides. They had lost their horse, so the only escape now was breaking through the encirclement and escaping through the Pass. However, with the archer hidden in the shadows, there was too much uncertainty in their current predicament.


    ¡°Jiang Ling, you escape first.¡± He Xi knew that the situation was fraught with ill tidings. Jiang Ling was skilled and removed from the conflict with the Manichaens.


    ¡°No, we¡¯re going back together.¡± Jiang Ling was unwilling to return on her own, ¡°We agreed on it!¡±


    Na Cuo¡¯s lip twitched, ¡°You can comfort each other in hell!¡± Dust whirling behind him, he launched toward them, his blade drawn.


    He Xi reached around and grabbed the wooden case on her back. The case splintered apart under her palms. The Ming Blades flashed with a fiery light before everyone¡¯s eyes.


    The Manichaens were all taken aback. Wu Ji lowered his bow, ¡°How does she have the leader¡¯s blades.¡±


    ¡°With the theft of the leader¡¯s blades, He Xi adds an additional crime to her slate!¡± Na Cu shouted, ¡°Catch the traitor!¡±


    Hearing Na Cuo¡¯s cry, Wu Ji again drew his bow and took aim. The other followers also advanced toward them.


    Jiang Ling unsheathed ¡®Qian Shui¡¯ with her left hand and stood back-to-back with He Xi. It was still difficult for her to wield her sword in her right hand, and after carving stones for half a month, Jiang Ling¡¯s left hand was now just as nimble as her right, just a bit weaker. With difficulty, she could go toe-to-toe with the enemy.


    ¡°Whoosh whoosh¡ª¡± Along with the breaths of the followers, two arrows whizzed through the air. Jiang Ling flicked her hand with a deft movement, downing those two arrows. The others followed suit, meeting them in battle.


    He Xi wielded both blades, clashing with Na Cuo. He Xi blocked Na Cuo¡¯s strike with her left blade and slashed toward his waist with her right. Just as Na Cuo was about to be cut in half, he pulled a dagger at his waist and met He Xi¡¯s blade. Sparks flew as the blades skitter across each other. Their internal forces collided, the force shaking them to their bones. They mutually retreated a few steps.


    Jiang Ling was besieged by the followers. Even though she was swft in movement, she was surrounded on all sides and, as an arrow flew toward them, could do nothing but yell, ¡°He Xi, look out!¡±


    Halfway through! Also, the author has started a new novel over on gongzicp, so let¡¯s remember to support them if we can!

 CH 37

    He Xi heard Jiang Ling¡¯s cry and leapt forward, dodging the arrows before meeting Na Cuo for another round of battle. The twin blades struck at once, but Na Cuo deflected the strike, and the twin blades flew toward the ground, losing their striking force.


    Na Cuo gripped the dagger in his left hand, plunging it toward He Xi¡¯s neck. He Xi released the blade in her right hand and blocked Na Cuo¡¯s wrist, preventing the dagger from advancing any further. He Xi struck out with her leg, looking to kick Na Cuo in the face. He retreated, retrieving his blade that trapped He Xi¡¯s twin sabers. With a nimble twist of her wrist, the right blade spun in two circles around her left blade before returning to her right hand.


    Jiang Ling dispatched the followers circling them, but they were hopelessly outnumbered. Jiang Ling was forced back to He Xi¡¯s side. After several rounds, there was no clear victor between He Xi and Na Cuo as they fought against the cliff face. If it had just been Na Cuo, they might have been able to escape with their lives, but there was still that hidden archer to contend with who may draw their attention away at a crucial moment. Now, all they could do was fight for their lives.


    ¡°Lord Protector Na Cuo, these two individuals are this humble one¡¯s[1] friends. Please let them off for this humble one.¡± Shen Xiuqi¡¯s deep, powerful voice called down from the top of the cliff. Jiang Ling was overjoyed, seeing a ray of hope, ¡°Shen-shixiong!¡±


    ¡°A Ling!¡± Shangguan Qing¡¯s voice also sounded soon after.


    Shen Xiuqi had brought many disciples of the Yueluo sect with him. As they appeared on the top of the cliff, they clearly outnumbered the others.


    Off in the distance, Wu Ji was stunned, ¡°So the Saintess has a connection to the Longxi Yueluo Sect, too?¡±


    ¡°Shen Xiuqi, you and I should each stick to our own affairs. Do not interfere in my capture of these Manichaen traitors.¡± Longxi had frequent contact with Xiyu, so Shen Xiuqi and Na Cuo had spoken with each other several times previously.


    ¡°From what I can see, these two are from the central plains. How could they be traitors of your Manichaen Sect? This is clearly a case of the Manichaens humiliating people of my central plains.¡± Shangguan Qing retorted, propelling herself down the cliff and landing before Jiang Ling and He Xi.


    He Xi¡¯s eye color was special. To avoid trouble, she had long disguised herself with a darker eye color and wore clothing of the central plains. She indeed looked like a fair-skinned person of the central plains.


    With her current appearance, this did appear to be the Manichaen Sect bullying a person of the central plains. Na Cuo pointed at He Xi: ¡°Miss Shangguan, there is something you do not know. This woman is the Saintess of the Manichaens, He Xi. She recently betrayed her sect and the leader has ordered me to retrieve her.¡±


    ¡°I heard that the Manichaen Saintess is entirely of Xiyu and has an unusual eye color. Lord Protector Na Cuo, are you perhaps vision impaired?¡± Shangguan Qing said glibbly.


    ¡°She has altered her appearance to cheat you.¡±


    ¡°Why should I put my trust in you? You might be the one cheating me!¡± Shangguan Qing was not one to be duped.


    Na Cuo was so irritated, blue veins popped out on his forehead.


    ¡°And if I insist?¡±


    ¡°You can try.¡± Shen Xiuqi also leapt down and landed in front of them.


    Wu Ji saw the two groups nearly at each other¡¯s throats and rushed over to Na Cuo.


    Shen Xiuqi lifted an eyebrow, having not expected the Manichaen Guardian King to appear here as well, ¡°Lord Guardian King Wu Ji, you and your sect have gone too far today.¡±


    ¡°Shen-xiandi[2] exaggerates. We did, indeed, come to apprehend a pair of traitors.¡± Wu Ji had no desire to engage with the Yueluo Sect. Even though he was on orders by Zhu Li to eliminate traitors, there was also some tumult within the sect. Some in Luo Zhu¡¯s faction still did not believe that Luo Zhu could have acted in such a treasonous and heretical manner, and many in the sect were discontented. If the Manichaens were to now clash with the Yueluo Sect, they would certainly be weakened, ¡°We shall leave the Yumen Pass as soon as the traitors are captured.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s obviously my cousin.¡± Jiang Ling saw that this was the only way to protect He Xi. Even if talks went south, the Yueluo Sect would not be implicated, and at worst, they would be brought back together.


    ¡°There, my friend says that she¡¯s her cousin, not some sort of Manichaen traitor.¡± Shangguan Qing pushed.


    ¡°They¡¯re clearly a pair of illicit¡­¡± Na Cuo felt as if a fish bone was caught in his throat. He did not know how to explain their relationship. If he were to say the rest of his words, they would just think he was speaking out of turn. Besides, he was only bringing up such ¡®personal¡¯ matters out of spite. He Xi¡¯s calmness made him believe most of it, so he almost spit out the words ¡®illicit lovers¡¯.


    Shangguan Qing saw his stunted effort at speech and asked with a strange expression on her face, ¡°Illicit what?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡± Na Cuo was speechless for a moment.


    Wu Ji wanted to take a step back from the situation, ¡°Should He Xi swear to withdraw from the Manichaen Sect today, to not set foot within Xiyu again, I can consider her dead from now on.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡± He Xi was silent. Jiang Ling reached out to tug on her hand, leaning in and whispering: ¡°So long as there is life, there is hope.¡±[3]


    He Xi lifted her gaze to meet Jiang Ling¡¯s eyes. She did not want to let her down.


    He Xi nodded.


    ¡°Then hand me the Ming Blades.¡± Na Cuo was dissatisfied but could only heed Wu Ji¡¯s proposal. He Xi holding onto the Ming Blades was entirely unallowable, even if they were merely the weapons of the previous leader.


    ¡°You don¡¯t deserve them.¡± This was Luo Zhu¡¯s legacy to her. She would never hand them over to them.


    Seeing that He Xi was not giving them the Ming Blades, Na Cuo advanced to pressure her. He Xi did not back down, and the two of them were about to face off again.


    Shen Xiuqi and Wu Ji went forward and separated them. Wu Ji thought that the Ming Blades were unnecessary for the sect. They had been left behind for over ten years and were only differentiated from the rest by being the leader¡¯s weapons. They could not go to war for this damned thing.


    Seeing Wu Ji step forward, Na Cuo turned it over in his mind, looking for a way to extricate himself, ¡°To respect the Yueluo Sect and the Guardian King, I will regard the Saintess as dead.¡± He retreated, breaking the tension between the two groups. Wu Ji raised a hand, and the Manichaen followers slowly withdrew.


    ¡°Then I thank you both.¡± Shen Xiuqi cupped his hands toward them.[4]


    With the Manichaens leaving, Shangguan Qing released a sigh of relief, affectionately linking arms with Jiang Ling, ¡°A Ling, that was so dangerous ah.¡±


    Having been saved from a desperate situation, she was greatly joyed, ¡°A Qing, why are you all here.¡±


    ¡°Your little brother Zhuo Zhuo said you¡¯d be here soon. We had some of our shidi wait for your arrival. Those shidi came to tell us that you had been obstructed in the Yumen Pass and we rushed over.¡±


    ¡°So it was Zhuo Zhuo. How has he been?¡±


    ¡°Quite well. He¡¯s inseparable from the horse trader caravans as of late.¡±


    ¡­


    ¡°Guardian King, with us letting He Xi go like this, the leader will surely place blame.¡± Na Cuo was still unwilling to quit.


    ¡°The leader has yet to ascend to his position. He cannot afford to be embroiled in conflict with other sects at present.¡± Wu Ji¡¯s hand had also been forced.


    ¡°Hmph. I don¡¯t believe He Xi can escape now, either.¡± Na Cuo narrowed his eyes, hatching a plan once again.


    ¡­


    He Xi stood behind them, her brows knitted together and her face frosty. Jiang Ling felt a chill down her back. Turning her head, she was met with He Xi¡¯s cold expression. She realized she had neglected He Xi and extricated her arm from Shangguan Qing¡¯s and pulled He Xi over, ¡°A Qing, this is my friend, He Xi. She¡¯s the one who rescued me in the desert.¡±


    Upon finding out that He Xi had rescued Jiang Ling, Shangguan Qing treated He Xi with abounding warmth, ¡°Thank you for rescuing A Ling.¡±


    As if she did not hear, then walked directly over to Little Donkey. Little Donkey had already lost too much blood and stopped breathing. He Xi stroked its mane, closing her eyes and reciting a few lines of scripture. She gathered her things and walked into the Yumen Pass.


    Jiang Ling laughed awkwardly and explained to Shangguan Qing, ¡°She just fled from Xiyu. She must be in a bad mood.¡±


    Shangguan Qing¡¯s curiosity rose again. She leaned toward Jiang Ling and whispered into her ear, ¡°Is she really the Manichaen Saintess?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Shen Xiuqi, seeing that He Xi had already walked away and the two of them were still whispering to each other, said helplessly: ¡°Let¡¯s talk after we go back.¡±


    Jiang Ling jogged to follow He Xi, and Shen Xiuqi brought everyone back to Zhangye.


    It was nighttime by the time everyone made it back to Zhangye. Shangguan Qing had been staying in an inn while she waited for Jiang Ling. She originally wanted to pay for Jiang Ling¡¯s room, but He Xi refused, ¡°We have money. No need to trouble you, Miss Shangguan.¡±


    ¡°I apologize, but our small inn only has one empty room.¡± The innkeeper said embarrassedly.


    Shangguan Qing said magnanimously, ¡°Then A Ling can sleep in my¡­¡±


    ¡°Jiang Ling and I will stay in one room.¡± He Xi interrupted Shangguan Qing.


    Jiang Ling did not know what was wrong with He Xi. For the whole day, it was like she had eaten gunpowder. She had always acted with utmost courtesy before.


    Jiang Ling smiled appeasingly at Shangguan Qing, ¡°Her and I always slept in the same room before.¡±


    Shangguan Qing could likewise not make heads or tails of the inexplicable hostility from He Xi. She was utterly different from the Manichaen Saintess she had heard of. Could Jiang Ling have been deceived?¡±


    Shangguan Qing tugged on Jiang Ling, wanted to say something, but saw the daggers in He Xi¡¯s eyes and released Jiang Ling¡¯s hand in a huff. She let out a couple of dry laughs, ¡°Have a good rest.¡±


    Jiang Ling said goodnight to Shangguan Qing and went to her room. He Xi was sitting at the head of the beed, her eyes tracking Jiang Ling.


    Jiang Ling felt uncomfortable under her stare. She picked up the cup of tea on the table and took two sips, ¡°What¡¯s going on with you today?¡±


    ¡°Nothing.¡± He Xi retracted her gaze. She took off her outer layer on her own and laid down.


    Jiang Ling was dumbfounded, ¡°Where am I sleeping.¡± He Xi had not asked the attendant for an extra bed.


    He Xi shifted and patted the spot next to her.


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Jiang Ling looked at the part of the bed He Xi had left for her and felt conflicted, but they had not gotten proper rest over these past several days in the desert. ¡°It¡¯s not like we haven¡¯t before.¡± Jiang Ling mumbled. She made up her mind, took off her outer layer, and laid down next to He Xi.


    He Xi laid there very properly, but Jiang Ling¡¯s heart was not nearly as proper. A soft warmth radiated at Jiang Ling¡¯s side, stirring the waves in her heart. Recalling how He Xi had admitted their relationship so straightforwardly, Jiang Ling¡¯s heart thumped in her chest. Her thoughts gradually trailed off, and her instinctive desire to be closer to He Xi grew stronger and stronger. Jiang Ling¡¯s mind kept shouting ¡°No, we¡¯re already even,¡± but she could not stop her hand from covering He Xi¡¯s.


    He Xi turned her hand over and grabbed her Jiang Ling¡¯s. She rolled over and stuck close to Jiang Ling¡¯s arm. Her warm breath brushed against Jiang Ling¡¯s ear, ¡°Don¡¯t even think about it.¡± Jiang Ling felt a warmth in the pit of her stomach. Discomfited, she separated herself a little bit.


    ¡°I¡­wasn¡¯t¡­¡± Thinking about it. He Xi was clearly leading her on.


    He Xi chuckled with a trace of drowsiness, ¡°I¡¯m tired. Let¡¯s sleep.¡±


    He Xi¡¯s cheek rested on Jiang Ling¡¯s shoulder, and in no time, her breaths evened out. She really had been tired. Jiang Ling let out two breaths. Her own heart calmed and she soon drifted off to sleep.


    The next day, Jiang Ling woke up first. He Xi¡¯s face was still buried in Jiang Ling¡¯s shoulder. The gentle morning sunlight slanted into their room. Jiang Ling turned her head toward it and He Xi¡¯s sleeping countenance came into view. She could even see the fine hairs on He Xi¡¯s face, the delicate fluttering of her eyelashes, the wisps of black hair on her cheek. So pretty, Jiang Ling let out a heartfelt sigh. She had always known He Xi¡¯s beauty, but this was the first time she had seen her while she was asleep.


    Jiang Ling gently brushed aside the wisps of hair on He Xi¡¯s face, hoping to see her more clearly, but her small action disturbed her sleep. Like a cat, He Xi furrowed her beautiful brow and opened her amber-colored eyes. He Xi blinked her eyes, adjusting to the light. She asked, her voice indolent, ¡°Awake?¡±


    Jiang Ling retracted her hand and gulped, ¡°Mhm.¡± She lifted the blanket and went to wash up for the day.


    Jiang Ling splashed some cold water on her face, trying to calm herself down.

 CH 38

    ¡°A Ling.¡± Shangguan Qing saw Jiang Ling returning from outside with a basin and called out to her, ¡°Come eat some breakfast.¡±


    Jiang Ling broke her fast with Shangguan Qing in the inn¡¯s main hall. Shangguan Qing glanced up at the stairs, then sidled up to Jiang Ling, ¡°Is that friend of yours really the Manichaen Saintess?¡± Shangguan Qing was still in disbelief and asked for clarification, ¡°And don¡¯t you have a grievance against the Manichaens? The Saintess saved you, so everything was written off?¡±


    Jiang Ling truly admired Shangguan Qing¡¯s determination to get to the bottom of things, ¡°Let¡¯s set aside my grievance for the moment. You also saw what happened with her the other day.¡±


    Shangguan Qing¡¯s face was completely disbelieving at first then shifted as something dawned on her, ¡°The rumors of Jianghu must be unreliable.¡±


    Jiang Ling nodded consolatorily, ¡°You shouldn¡¯t listen to the rumor mill.¡±


    Shangguan Qing suddenly thought of something, ¡°Your shifu and shijie came to find you before, but we¡¯d already left by then. We went to find you with them but couldn¡¯t, so we came back. They waited for half a month before leaving. We told them that we would notify them as soon as possible if we had news of you.¡±


    Hearing that her shifu and shijie had been rushing about for her sake, she felt enormously sorry, ¡°I will write a letter for my shifu and shijie so they don¡¯t worry about me.¡±


    Shangguan Qing patted her shoulder, ¡°We sent them a letter when Zhuo Zhuo arrived. No need to worry.¡±


    ¡°A Qing.¡± Jiang Ling did not know how to thank Shangguan Qing. She held Shangguan Qing¡¯s hands.


    ¡°No need for thanks. We¡¯re dear sisters, aren¡¯t we?¡±


    As soon as He Xi came down stairs, her eye color disguised, she saw Jiang Ling and Shangguang Qing stuck together and holding hands.


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°He Xi, come have some breakfast.¡± Jiang Ling rushed to greet He Xi once she came downstairs.


    He Xi¡¯s expression held restraint. She sat beside Jiang Ling, who served her a bowl of porridge.


    As soon as He Xi took a seat, Shangguan Qing started to feel uncomfortable, sensing a faint animosity, ¡°Uh¡­I¡¯m full.¡±


    With He Xi¡¯s arrival, Jiang Ling¡¯s mind returned to proper business. Seeing that Shangguan Qing was about to leave, she called to her, ¡°A Qing, have you heard of a person or sect that uses poisoned needles?¡±


    Shangguan Qing sat back down to answer Jiang Ling¡¯s questions. Her brows pinched together as she thought, ¡°Many people use needles, and poisoned needles are not unseen, but I do know of a sect that uses poisoned needles as concealed weapons.¡±


    ¡°Which one?¡±


    ¡°The Yuzhou Tang Sect!¡± Shangguan Qing said, ¡°Their Rain-Soaked Pear Blossom Needles are highly poisonous. I¡¯ve heard that the Tang Sect still dabbles in assassinations.¡±


    Jiang Ling remembered that, back in Yuzhou, she had seen people of the Tang Sect use needles. Those thieves had been felled by needles, killed by the Tang Sect. The leader of the Tang Sect, Tang Wanyi, was not easy to push around, but after seeing her get along with Gu Zhao, she had believed that she was an accommodating sect leader.


    ¡°You mean the Tang Sect still accepts assassination jobs?¡±


    Shangguan Qing spoke solemnly, ¡°Correct. They will for the right price. But two years ago the eldest daughter of the Tang Family took over, so now they do it less and less, opting for more proper business.¡±


    Jiang Ling was enveloped in a fog, more and more unable to distinguish the path ahead. Even if the Tang Sect accepted assassination requests, what grievance would prompt such a thing? Was it between the Tang and Gu Families? With the relationship between Gu Zhao and Tang Wanyi, it definitely was not between the two families. Perhaps another family had procured an assassin from the Tang Sect to kill the legitimate heir of the Gu Family out of vengeance? Why did Tang Wanyi suddenly restrict their assassination business? Could it be related to Gu Yun¡¯s death? She glanced at He Xi as she drank her porridge. Since she had made the decision to trust in He Xi, there was no reason to doubt her now. She could only seek clarity with the Tang Sect.


    ¡°A Ling, A Ling.¡± Shangguan Qing called out to her twice, ¡°Is there something else?¡±


    Jiang Ling shook her head, then asked after the little tiger cub¡¯s cousin. Shangguan Qing did not have any news, either, which bode ill.


    Jiang Ling later found the time to seek out Shen Xiuqi and informed him of the happenings with the febrile disease. She reminded him to pay attention to the movements of the Manichaens; a Manichaens Sect headed by Zhu Li could be an entirely different prospect.


    ¡­


    When she returned from speaking with Shen Xiuqi, Jiang Ling sat for a while beside the table, mulling some things over. He Xi saw that she was weighed down with worry and asked: ¡°When are we going to Yuzhou?¡±


    ¡°In a few days, but I still have a lot that I haven¡¯t figured out.¡±


    ¡°I also have a lot that I haven¡¯t figured out.¡±


    Jiang Ling lifted her eyes to meet He Xi¡¯s eyes, smiling.


    Since she had decided to go to Yuzhou, she did not delay. The two of them first returned to Longxi with the group from the Yueluo Sect, then Jiang Ling went to find Zhuo Zhuo in the horse trading caravan to bid him farewell.


    Zhuo Zhuo¡¯s eyes rounded into saucers when he saw Jiang Ling. Jiang Ling¡¯s head still sported the braids He Xi had done for her. On He Xi, the same braids would look charming and lovely, but on Jiang Ling they looked rather adorable and cute.


    ¡°Jiang Liu, how did you turn into a woman¡­¡± Zhuo Zhuo did not believe that the spritely young girl in front of him was his Jiang-dage.


    ¡°I¡¯ve always been a woman.¡±


    Zhuo Zhuo looked over at He Xi, who was standing at the crossing waiting for Jiang Ling, and said sympathetically: ¡°Then the Saintess-jiejie can¡¯t marry you, after all.¡±


    Jiang Ling was choked back by his words. She smacked him on the head, ¡°Lousy brat, is that all you think about all day!¡±


    Zhuo Zhuo covered his head, a sorrowful expression on his face, ¡°I¡¯m only so sad because I earnestly wished for your happiness!¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Jiang Ling changed the subject and told him that she was planning to go to Yuzhou. Zhuo Zhuo liked horses and was quick and clever. The caravan¡¯s leader liked him and treated him like a younger brother as he followed the caravan. He intended to continue following the caravan, to see the sights and wonders of the central plains, perhaps even the sea. Zhuo Zhuo¡¯s eyes shimmered.


    ¡°You will get to see the sea, for sure.¡± Jiang Ling said, a twinkle in her eye.


    ¡­


    She parted ways with Zhuo Zhuo, then went to the division outpost for the Yunping Escort Company. Wang Tianqi was alighting some cargo. Seeing Jiang Ling walk through the door, his face broke out into a grin, ¡°I was just thinking that my little sister forgot about our poor little company.¡±


    ¡°Wang-dage, I hope you¡¯ve been well.¡± Jiang Ling likewise spoke with familiarity.


    He Xi stood behind Jiang Ling. She raised an eyebrow, gazing at Jiang Ling with avid interest.


    ¡°You¡¯re saying that you want to go to Yuzhou with my company?¡± Wang Tianqi looked a bit reluctant.


    Jiang Ling noticed his expression and did not pressure him, ¡°Wang-dage, if it isn¡¯t convenient, we can go on our own.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not that, we just haven¡¯t gone to the division in Yuzhou in a long time.¡± Wang Tianqi explained, ¡°Most of the business over in Yuzhou has been swallowed up by the Tang Sect.¡±


    Shangguan Qing had said that the Tang Sect had started to do reputable business, ¡°The Tang Sect works in this business sector, even?¡±


    ¡°The new sect leader is on good terms with the business coalition in Yuzhou. The disciples of the Tang Sect are also very skilled, so they let them escort them. It¡¯s just a small business. If there¡¯s no money to be made, then there¡¯s no reason to run about.¡± Wang Tianqi sighed, ¡°But we will be going to the division in Yizhou the day after tomorrow. Yizhou is only a day away from Yuzhou. If possible, could you come to Yizhou?¡±


    Stopping in Yizhou first would not be a bad choice. Jiang Ling thought it was a good idea, ¡°Wang-dage, this is my sister. She¡¯s more skilled than I am.¡±


    Wang Tianqi had already noticed the silent woman behind Jiang Ling. If she said that she was skilled, then she would certainly not disappoint. Wang Tianqi was happy, ¡°That¡¯s great ah. With you both in our escort, me and my ten brothers won¡¯t have to worry! Hahaha!¡±


    With him agreeing, Jiang Ling could likewise rest assured. They could avoid trouble on the road.


    ¡­


    Returning to the inn, Jiang Ling followed He Xi back to their room. The corners of He Xi¡¯s eyes concealed a smile.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know you had so many friends.¡± Whether it was Shangguan Qing, Zhuo Zhuo, or Wang Tianqi, everyone was on good terms with Jiang Ling, He Xi teased.


    Jiang Ling raised an eyebrow, revealing a self satisfied expression, ¡°I¡¯m very popular, everyone likes me.¡±


    ¡°Indeed. I really like you, too.¡± He Xi¡¯s eyes sparkled as she spoke frankly of her feelings.


    ¡°You¡­¡± This was not Jiang Ling¡¯s first time experiencing He Xi¡¯s straightforwardness. Her cheeks immediately flushed, ¡°Do you know what it means to be ¡®reserved¡¯?


    ¡°If being ¡®reserved¡¯ means that I have to keep my mouth shut about my feelings, then I won¡¯t understand.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going back to my room.¡± The atmosphere would become strange again if she stayed. These past few days had been quite nice.


    ¡°There¡¯s only this room.¡± He Xi sat calmly, steeping the tea leaves.


    ¡°¡­¡± Before, they stayed together because there were no other rooms, but Jiang Ling had clearly seen that this inn had many vacancies, ¡°I¡¯m going to talk to the innkeeper.¡±


    ¡°Saving money.¡± He Xi gave her a fitting explanation, ¡°The money Senior Xue gave us is not enough to get to Yuzhou.¡±


    ¡°Jiang Ling, what are you running from?¡± He Xi did not understand. That night, Jiang Ling had held her hand with such feverish heat. She did not believe that Jiang Ling had no feelings for her. Furthermore, they had already been intimate with each other.


    He Xi¡¯s questions pressed Jiang Ling, ¡°I¡­I don¡¯t know, either.¡± For Jiang Ling¡¯s entire life, she had never thought that she would develop strange ideas about a woman. No, not a woman¡ªonly He Xi.


    As Jiang Ling retreated, He Xi advanced, ¡°Jiang Ling, I want to know what you think of me.¡±


    An ache grew in Jiang Ling¡¯s heart and her gaze scattered. She had never liked someone before. Was what she felt toward He Xi ¡®like¡¯? She did not know.


    Jiang Ling shook her head, ¡°He Xi, I¡­mm.¡±


    Jiang Ling had yet to react before He Xi¡¯s lips left hers again. She placed two fingers on her lips.


    ¡°Don¡¯t say it. I don¡¯t want to hear you say ¡®don¡¯t¡¯.¡± She did not want to hear either ¡®don¡¯t know¡¯ or ¡®don¡¯t like¡¯. He Xi felt a little frustrated and sat back down dejectedly. She had really lost to her.


    Jiang Ling covered her lips, as if both in shock and savoring the aftertaste. She stood in place, dazed. Seeing He Xi¡¯s wounded expression, she wanted to go and offer her a few comforting words, entirely unknowing that she was the chief culprit behind He Xi¡¯s unhappiness.


    ¡°He¡­¡±


    ¡°A Ling, A Ling!¡± Shangguan Qing¡¯s voice from outside the door interrupted Jiang Ling, ¡°Let¡¯s go take a stroll around the night market.¡±


    He Xi lifted her gaze to the door, ¡°Go ahead.¡± Her voice contained a veiled exhaustion, ¡°I¡¯m tired.¡±


    ¡°¡­Mn.¡± To liberate herself from the strange atmosphere, she fled under the guise of going to the night market with Shangguan Qing.


    He Xi watched Jiang Ling¡¯s retreating figure as she fled. She supported her forehead in one hand, laughing bitterly.


    ¡°A Ling, why are you still living in one room.¡± When she opened the door, Shangguan Qing saw that He Xi was also inside, along with both of their possessions.


    ¡°Uh¡­because we want to save money.¡±


    Hearing that Jiang Ling was still worried over money, Shangguan rebuked herself for not being a proper host, ¡°I told you before, you should come with me. There are plenty of rooms there.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve done so much for me these past few days, I¡¯m really too embarrassed to trouble you further.¡± Jiang Ling tugged on Shangguan Qing and walked into the night market.

 CH 39

    Chapter 39: Departure


    With Jiang Ling insisting, Shangguan Qing did not pressure her, and the two of them were off.


    Vendors lined the street, their short booths stretching so far into the distance that one could not see the end of them. They hawked their wares, the scene bustling and lively.


    There were some stalls roasting meat from Xiyu. Large slabs of mutton were sizzling over a charcoal fire dripping oil, the rich aroma causing passersby to salivate. There were also some vendors selling hot cakes who kneaded white dough into various shapes, from long twists to flatbreads.


    The night market was crowded. Merchants surrounded the ceramics and gemstone shops. Their horses and donkeys were laden with goods, and they left after a good day¡¯s business, smiles on their faces.


    Shangguan Qing bought two hot cakes and passed one toward Jiang Ling, ¡°Here, it¡¯s fresh. Eat it while it¡¯s still hot.¡±


    But Jiang Ling was rubbing her lips in a daze. He Xi had kissed her again just now, the cool, soft touch of her lips all the more clear. He Xi¡¯s lonely expression filled Jiang Ling¡¯s mind. She seemed very unhappy just now.


    ¡°A Ling, did you both have a fight?¡± Seeing how Jiang Ling¡¯s heart was not it and recalling the delicate atmosphere back at the inn, Shangguan Qing figured that they must have fought. That Manichaen Saintess had such an odd temper, yet Jiang Ling had actually endured for so long.


    ¡°No.¡± Jiang Ling pressed her lips together. She raised her spirits anew, ¡°Let¡¯s keep strolling on.¡±


    ¡°Miss, come have a look at this first-rate red gemstone from Xiyu.¡± A gemstone vendor called out to Jiang Ling, a crimson red gemstone in his hand.


    ¡°Gemstone?¡± He Xi had once worn a red gemstone on her forehead. Jiang Ling had shattered it with her sword three years ago, and when she saw He Xi again, her forehead was unadorned.


    ¡°Sir, how much is this gemstone?¡± Jiang Ling wanted to buy one for He Xi.


    ¡°You have a good eye, miss. This one was just polished in Xiyu and is second to none in quality. See, look how the color shines and how clear it is.¡± The vendor looked meaningfully at Jiang Ling, then continued to lavish on praise, ¡°I think such a fated meeting worth thirty liang, no?¡±


    ¡°A Qing, you have some money, right?¡± Jiang Ling pulled Shangguan Qing over and whispered, ¡°I¡¯ll pay you back.¡± She did not have any money on her. He Xi had kept it for safekeeping, and she also said that there was not enough for their travels. She could only ask to borrow some from Shangguan Qing, then repay her later after going on a few jobs with Wang Tianqi.


    Shangguan Qing told directly that she did not need to repay her, then turned to negotiate with the vendor and bought the gemstone for a final price of twenty liang. Jiang Ling held that shimmery crimson red gemstone, exceedingly happy; He Xi would like it, for sure, ¡°Thank you, A Qing. But, I will definitely pay you back another time.¡±


    Jiang Ling finished strolling around the night market and bought some food for He Xi. After bidding farewell to Shangguan Qing, she walked back toward the inn. At this time of day, people were sparse, and a few dust-covered lamps struggled to illuminate the road. The night breeze stirred the wisps of hair on Jiang Ling¡¯s forehead, and as the nip in the air grew stronger, Jiang Ling quickened her pace.


    Passing by the inn, Jiang Ling glanced up to see that her and He Xi¡¯s room on the second floor was dark. Did He Xi go to sleep this early?


    Jiang Ling¡¯s heart unconsciously started to pound. She swiftly returned to the inn and gently pushed open the door of their room, calling out softly: ¡°He Xi, I¡¯ve brought some refreshments¡­¡±


    The room was pitch black and frighteningly still.


    ¡°He Xi?¡± She lit the lamp in a flurry, but all that answered her sight was neatly tidied bedding and four bare walls. Only Jiang Ling¡¯s belongings were remaining. A piece of paper had been left on the table, weighed down by a heavy bag of silver.


    Jiang Ling¡¯s vision darkened. She picked up the paper, her hands trembling¡ªWorry not, be well.[1]


    ¡°Pah!¡± The paper was smacked onto the table. She leapt out of the room, a cool wind sweeping through in her wake, stirring the paper into flight before it at last landed softly upon the ground.


    ¡°He Xi, where are you?¡± Jiang Ling scoured the area around the inn, holding back her tears, but found neither hide nor hair of He Xi.


    With the winter wind came dark clouds that blotted out the sky and shimmering snowflakes that dusted the ground. They landed on the tip of Jiang Ling¡¯s nose, thus transforming into dewy water droplets before sliding off.


    Jiang Ling lay on the inn¡¯s eaves. As she pressed the red gemstone against her chest, she clenched it in her fist, her palm appearing as thought it was dripping blood. Her face was covered in a sheen of either tears or melted snow, the difference indiscernible, that red gemstone in hand, radiating a faint warmth.


    ¡°A Qing, cough cough, I¡¯m returning this to you.¡± Jiang Ling went to the Yueluo Sect and found Shangguan Qing, returning the twenty liang to her.


    Shangguan Qing accepted the silver, but saw the Jiang Lings complex looked poor, ¡°A Ling, are you alright?¡±


    Jiang Ling covered her mouth and let out a couple of coughs, ¡°I¡¯m fine. I wasn¡¯t careful and slept outside yesterday.¡±


    ¡°What? Why did you sleep outside? It snowed.¡± Shangguan Qing flew into a rage as soon as she heard it, ¡°Did that He Xi toss you out? Why didn¡¯t you look for me?¡±


    ¡°No, don¡¯t misunderstand her. I was admiring the snow and fell asleep accidentally.¡± Jiang Ling forced a smile, ¡°It was my first time seeing snow.¡±


    Shangguan Qing only half believed her. She pressed her hand against Jiang Ling¡¯s forehead. Fortunately, she was not running a fever, ¡°Where¡¯d you get the money?¡± She had clearly said she did not have enough, which is why the two of them were sharing a room. How could she suddenly have an extra twenty liang to give to her?


    ¡°He Xi, she¡­¡± Jiang Ling felt a dull ache in her heart when she mentioned He Xi. She furrowed her brow, forcing her tears away, ¡°She left it for me.¡±


    He Xi had left her enough money, despite always saying that they were low on money.


    ¡°¡®Left¡¯?¡± Shangguan Qing finally understood Jiang Ling¡¯s strange behavior today, ¡°She left you behind? How could she?!¡±


    Hearing Shangguan Qing criticize He Xi prodded her sore spot, and she defended her, ¡°Don¡¯t blame her. It was my fault. I caused her to be unhappy.¡± Tears leaked out her eyes.


    ¡°¡­¡± Shangguan Qing thought Jiang Ling was really beating herself up for something beyond her control. Ever since she had returned from Xiyu with that damned Saintess He Xi, it was like they had turned into a single person. They did everything together¡ªshe also thought of her when she went out shopping¡ªand she had even slept out in the snow because of her last night, not to mention her crying over her now.


    ¡°What exactly is your relationship with her?¡± It did not make sense that such profound feelings existed between two people who had known each other for just over two months. Furthermore, even if there was gratitude for her saving her life, there was still the grievance about Gu Yun, and disregarding their closeness, she could constantly sense a faint hostility from He Xi.


    Not expecting Shangguan Qing to question her relationship with He Xi too, Jiang Ling suddenly felt like she was on a rotating spit above a fire; just as one side was cooked, her other side was next for the roasting. She had never heard of a relationship to be had between two women besides friends and sisters, ¡°I¡­I don¡¯t know. I just like being with her.¡±


    ¡°Are you both¡­¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Shangguan Qing thought her conjecture was too bold. Seeing Jiang Ling¡¯s innocent expression, she figured she was overthinking. Furthermore, He Xi had already left; speaking more on the subject would add unnecessary trouble, ¡°Nothing. It¡¯s stopped snowing, and it¡¯ll be cold as it thaws. I¡¯ll grab a coat for you in a bit.¡±


    Jiang Ling fastened the closures on her dark blue coat. It seemed like it would snow. Wang Tianqi said that they should set out early, for if they waited until the snow arrived, they would not be able to leave Longxi. All Jiang Ling had to do was ready her horse and things, then go to Wang Tianqi.


    Seeing Jiang Ling arrive alone, Wang Tianqi asked doubtfully: ¡°Where¡¯s your sister?¡±


    Jiang Ling helped a few of the men sort some goods, feigning casualness, ¡°Something came up at home. She went back first.¡± She coughed lightly as she spoke.


    ¡°A Qiu, make some ginger soup for her so she can warm up.¡± Wang Tianqi was a considerate man, ¡°This damned weather, it¡¯s like it¡¯s jinxed.¡±


    A Qiu was Wang Tianqi¡¯s wife as well as an armed escort. She was amiable and gentle, and if it were not for the thick calluses marking her hands, she would truly not look like a martial arts practitioner. She worked in Longxi and was returning with Wang Tianqi for the New Year.


    Jiang Ling accepted the ginger soup from A Qiu, ¡°Thank you, Sister-In-Law.¡± Jiang Ling sipped the tea, her body warming up gradually.


    The escort group set off as soon as they finished packing up, heading south. The flurries grew stronger and stronger and the snow on the ground thicker and thicker. They had to push the carts through snow banks several times, but fortunately the escort group moved swiftly and were able to leave Longxi before the roads were blocked by snow. As soon as they got out of Longxi, the snowfall lessened significantly and the roads were easier to traverse.


    The escort group traveled continuously for two days until they reached Shanzhou, where they rested at a posthouse. Shanzhou was not as cold as Longxi, so Jiang Ling carefully stowed away her coat.


    The posthouse was small, but Wang Tianqi specially set aside a room for A Qiu and Jiang Ling while he and a few of the men stayed in another.


    Jiang Ling took a bath, then sat on the bed in her middle clothes, drying her hair.


    Seeing that Jiang Ling was going to bed after just drying her hair, A Qiu asked, ¡°Your braids from before were pretty. Aren¡¯t you going to braid your hair?¡±


    Jiang Ling covered her face with the pillow, her voice muffled: ¡°I don¡¯t know how.¡±


    With A Qiu asking about it, the little things she had done with He Xi floated to the top of her mind. When they were practically inseparable, He Xi would comb and plait beautiful braids into her hair, complimenting her, saying how pretty she was¡­


    ¡°He Xi¡­¡± Jiang Ling murmured, her head covered. She missed her so much.


    ¡°Sister-In-Law, how did you and Wang-dage meet?¡± Jiang Ling poked her head out to ask.


    A Qiu¡¯s face lit up with happiness when Wang Tianqi was mentioned. She said she was an armed escort in a small company, and when they were on a job, they encountered a group of bandits. Just as their cargo was about to be stolen, Wang Tianqi and his escort company lent them a helping hand. They continued on their journeys together, their two companies growing closer.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be fooled by his bulky appearance. He is very meticulous and treats me very well.¡± The corners of A Qiu¡¯s lips hooked upward as she reminisced on her good times with Wang Tianqi, almost as though she had returned to the first stirrings of love in her youth.


    Seeing A Qiu¡¯s expression, Jiang Ling sat up, her eyes bright, ¡°How does it feel to like someone? That kind of like, the kind you have Wang-dage have.¡±


    A Qiu sat on the bed, hugging her legs. She tilted her head up, thinking, ¡°Liking someone means that you desire to always be with them, and when separated, to often think of them and miss them.¡±


    A Qiu turned her head and looked at Jiang Ling, her face full of mirth, ¡°Xiao Ling¡¯er, do you have a young man you fancy?¡±


    Liking someone was like that, was it? To want to be with her at every moment, and when not, always think of her, miss her.


    Jiang Ling was still in a daze when A Qiu teased: ¡°You must be missing your young man.¡±


    Jiang Ling ducked her head under the blanket, her face red, ¡°I don¡¯t have a young man.¡± Not a young man.


    A Qiu merely thought that she was bashful.


    Jiang Ling pulled out the gemstone from where it hung on a red string around her neck. She clutched it tightly in her hand. Did she treat He Xi as A Qiu treated Wang-dage? They could be like that too, right?


    Holding the warm gemstone, Jiang Ling quietly drifted off to sleep and dreamt of the time spent with the old couple in the oasis.

 CH 40

    Chapter 40: Bandits


    Leaving Shanzhou, the escort company entered a mountain range. The mountain paths were difficult to traverse, ¡°Once we get past these mountains we¡¯ll arrive at the Jiannan area. We¡¯ll be close to Yizhou then.¡± Wang Tianqi gazed at the mountains ahead, ¡°The authorities are hard-pressed here, so there are more bandits than normal.¡± Wang Tianqi reminded in order to gather everyone¡¯s energy as they went forward.


    Yizhou was encircled by mountains like a big bowl, with Yizhou resting within its flat bottom. High ridges and lofty mountains surrounded it on all sides, so people of the past would sigh, ¡°The road to Shu is difficult to climb.¡±[1]


    Sunlight dappled the ground as it passed through the thick foliage. Bored to tears, Jiang Ling reclined on the cart¡¯s cargo box, her eyes half-shut and one of her legs dangling off, ¡°Wang-dage, this route is so quiet.¡±


    Normally, when returning to Longxi, they would encounter a few bandits and beat them back, but this time when they entered the mountainous region of Jiannan it was strangely tranquil.


    ¡°If it¡¯s too quiet, then something¡¯s wrong.¡± Wang Tianqi spoke from experience. If there were no small bandit groups, then there must be a large group.


    Into the night, the escort company found a flat, open piece of land to set up camp. Jiang Ling had rested too much during the day so she was responsible for keeping watch at night. She looked for a tree so she could keep an eye on the surroundings. Everything was peaceful as before. Being winter, even the insects were holed up, certain to not cry their song into the night.


    In a daze, Jiang Ling sat on a tree bough, her head resting against the trunk.


    ¡°Who¡¯s there?¡± Leaves rustled in the distance. Jiang Ling raised her guard, dropping to the ground, ¡°Wang-dage, there seems to be some movement. I will go over and check.¡±


    Wang Tianqi swiftly called over a few of his brothers, ¡°If something¡¯s wrong, come back immediately.¡±


    ¡°Mhm.¡± Jiang Ling entered the forest, approaching the area of movement with caution.


    At that moment, the leaves again rustled in quick succession. The sound was unlike that of animals foraging for food and more like something leading Jiang Ling deeper into the wood. Jiang Ling left markings behind her as she followed closely in pursuit.


    In the forest before her was the faint glow of fire; the mountains¡¯ col concealed a bandit stronghold. Jiang Ling observed from a hidden location. This stronghold was larger than the one she had seen three years ago. Enormous logs formed an impenetrable barrier, the gate was closed shut, and two enormous barricades were placed in front of the entrance, their tips sharpened into points. Two tall observation towers stood on either side with sentries on patrol, and navy blue flags with the embroidered character ¡®Kun¡¯ flew on both towers.


    Jiang Ling could not see the stronghold clearly, so she went to the top of the mountain. The stronghold was spacious inside and well-arranged, almost as if it was a mountain village. Bandits patrolled in twos and threes, carrying torches.


    ¡°Wang-dage was correct.¡± Jiang Ling followed her markings back to the escort company.


    ¡°Wang-dage, there¡¯s a large fortress in the mountains before us. From what I could see there were many bandits.¡± Jiang Ling landed beside Wang Tianqi and hastened to inform him of her findings.


    Wang Tianqi knitted his brows and pondered for a moment. After considering the circumstances between their two parties, he decided to take a detour. They were outmatched, and if they clashed, they could lose many of their company even if they abandoned the goods. However, the only cart-faring path was the one they were currently on. It was difficult to find a detour.


    ¡°What if a smaller group of us pretend to be going on our way with an empty cart, and when we draw their attention away, the remaining brothers will slip through the cracks?¡± Jiang Ling thought of an idea and asked for Wang Tianqi¡¯s opinion. Then she continued her thoughts, ¡°The brothers in the first group need to be skilled. Once we lure the bandits away, we¡¯ll have to escape and meet up with the larger group later.¡±


    Wang Tianqi thought that this idea was plausible: ¡°Try to delay them for an incense stick¡¯s time. We¡¯ll be able to escape from the bandit¡¯s territory, and then the threat that they pose won¡¯t be high.¡±


    Wang Tianqi then called over a few men to rearrange the goods and free up two carts and a few boxes. The empty boxes were filled with stones and covered with a layer of wild ginseng, completing the illusion. It really looked like an escorted cart. They dusted the cart with a bit of grass to cover it up.


    Jiang Ling volunteered for the feint group. Wang Tianqi could not talk her out of it and acquiesced to her request. As the head of the escort company, Wang Tianqi would also act as the leader of the smaller group. He chose four men of high caliber to prepare so they could move come night. If they did not encounter any bandits, then A Qiu would bring the majority of the company with her. If they did encounter them, then she would wait for the bandits to bring them to their stronghold, then the rest of them could avail themselves of the nighttime to pass through.


    Everything was prepared. Jiang Ling and Wang Tianqi set off with their own group. They did not use torches and by the weak moonlight slowly advanced forward. The cart¡¯s wheels clacked, the noise deafening in the quiet forest.


    Jiang Ling clenched her fists, gazing diligently around at her surroundings.


    With a ¡®clang¡¯, the cart¡¯s wheels got caught on a stone on the path, stopping it dead in its tracks.


    ¡°You four give it a push.¡± Wang Tianqi told the four men to go push the cart from behind, but it was stuck fast.


    With no alternative, one of the men named A Biao lit a torch to check the situation, but just as he lit it, two large nets suddenly sprouted up from the leaf-strewn ground before them. Jiang Ling tucked into a forward roll and escaped the net. Her body was covered in leaves, evidently in a sorry state. Wang Tianqi and the other three men were divided between the two nets and hung up from the trees, struggling violently.


    Only Jiang Ling and A Biao remained standing as they looked at each other blankly.


    With a whoosh of sound on the mountainside, about thirty bandits emerged, some brandishing their blades, some with bows drawn.


    The bandit leader, an ominous look in his eye, gestured with a slight tilt of his head. Two bandits strode forward, their blades in hand.


    Holding his own blade, A Biao moved to stand in front of Jiang Ling and shouted: ¡°Gentlemen, let¡¯s talk it out.¡±


    Wang Tianqi struggled without success. He gripped the net with both hands, ¡°Gentlemen, my brothers and I are just passing through on some small business.¡±


    The bandit leader wore a disappointed expression. He turned to the bandit underling beside him and said: ¡°Tell the boss that it¡¯s just some small fry. I can handle it.¡±


    The underling acknowledged the order and ran off with a fire at his heel.


    Those two bandits that had advanced forward paid no heed to A Biao or Jiang Ling as they swaggered toward them. A Biao had to shield Jiang Ling behind his body and retreat a few steps.


    They leapt onto the cart and opened the boxes, ¡°Deputy boss, it¡¯s wild ginseng.¡± They sniffed it carefully, ¡°Decent quality.¡±


    Wang Tianqi smiled obsequiously: ¡°Gentlemen, the wild ginseng is top-notch. Could you all leave us one box, and the rest can be our respects to your boss?¡±


    ¡°Pei, all of this here isn¡¯t enough to pay respect, and you¡¯re still thinking of keeping a box?¡± The deputy leader¡¯s face was filled with disdain, ¡°Men, kill them all.¡±


    ¡°Ai ai ai, don¡¯t want it, don¡¯t want it!¡± Wang Tianqi hurriedly begged for mercy.


    At that moment, a few of the bandits lit torches. The deputy leader¡¯s eyes narrowed as he inspected Wang Tianqi¡¯s party.


    When he saw Jiang Ling behind A Biao, his eyes lit up, ¡°I could let you go. But you¡¯ll have to meet one of my conditions.¡±


    Jiang Ling: ¡°What?¡±


    The deputy leader¡¯s expression was sly. He looked Jiang Ling up and down, making Jiang Ling feel entirely ill at ease, ¡°This little sister looks quite good. Our boss just happens to be missing a bride. We¡¯ll be family, so this box can be discussed.¡±


    ¡°Bullshit!¡± Wang Tianqi raged, ¡°Go ahead and kill me. I¡¯ll never sell out my sister!¡± He started to struggle again.


    The deputy leader raised a hand and the bandits with bows took aim at Wang Tianqi, ¡°Refusing a toast only to drink a forfeit!¡±[2]


    The arrows were about to leave the bowstring.


    ¡°Wait!¡± Jiang Ling walked out from behind A Biao, ¡°If I go with you, then you¡¯ll let my brother and his men go?¡±


    ¡°Naturally. If you come with us, then after tomorrow, you¡¯ll[3] be our sister-in-law. You brother will be our brother, so of course we won¡¯t make it difficult on them.¡±


    ¡°A Ling! Don¡¯t be foolish!¡± Wang Tianqi roared.


    A Biao also came forward and rushed to stop Jiang Ling, ¡°Miss!¡±


    Jiang Ling threw off his hand, then walked up to the deputy leader, ¡°Let them go now and I¡¯ll follow you.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t do that.¡± The deputy leader gestured for one of the bandits to tie up A Biao and lay him out on the side of the path, then had another bandit offload one of the boxes of wild ginseng, ¡°As I¡¯ve said, one box. The rest are to pay respects.¡±


    The deputy leader turned toward Jiang Ling and softened his voice, ¡°Sister-in-law, I will help untie your brother tomorrow. Now, come with me.¡±


    Jiang Ling felt a chill go down her back at the use of ¡®sister-in-law¡¯, but she endured her disgust and nodded. She followed them toward the mountain stronghold.


    Wang Tianqi shouted insults from the net but the deputy leader did not turn back as he led Jiang Ling away. Two bandits were left behind to keep catch on Wang Tianqi¡¯s group and another two dragged the cart away.


    ¡°You¡¯re going to free my brother tomorrow, right.¡± Jiang Ling said with a delicate pitifulness. The deputy leader could not help but say tenderly, ¡°Sister-in-law, you still don¡¯t believe me?¡±


    The deputy leader was sure that Jiang Ling, a young woman, was frightened after being caught by bandits, ¡°Sister-in-law, please rest easy. We¡¯re the Paijing Gang, so we¡¯ll follow through on our promises. Everyone knows this.¡± The deputy leader thumped his chest in pledge.


    So they were the Paijing Gang. They did not succeed in controlling the waterways in Yuzhou, so they hid out in the mountains to seize the roads.[4]


    Jiang Ling purposefully slowed her steps to buy time, ¡°The Paijing Gang? I thought they were involved with the waterways. Why are you all in the mountains?¡±


    The deputy leader merely thought she was trying to get an understanding of the Paijing Gang, sure that she was accepting her position as mistress of the stronghold. He dropped his guard significantly and started to explain, ¡°Hai, we were involved with the waterways, but business turned bad and we entered the mountains. Sister-in-law, please rest assured, the mountains are just as good as the waterways and we have delicacies from all around, I promise.¡±


    Jiang Ling walked slowly and this bunch of men was in no hurry, either. By the time they reached the entrance of the stronghold, the sky was already brightening. Jiang Ling watched as they raised the gate and pulled the cart inside. The leader of the Paijing Gang heard that the deputy leader had brought a radiant bride back for him and broke out in a grin, making his odious face even more distasteful, ¡°Old Two[5], you¡¯re really considerate of this brother of yours.¡±


    The leader patted the deputy leader on the back, ¡°I¡¯ll have to thank you properly.¡± As he spoke, he turned his head and looked at Jiang Ling lecherously, ¡°Wife, you¡¯re truly a beauty[6].¡±


    He even drew close to kiss her. Jiang Ling felt a pang of nausea. She was driven to the end of her rope and pulled a dagger out of her sleeve, wanting to rid herself of this deplorable man.


    Just then, the leader¡¯s face twisted. Blue veins popped out on his forehead and broken syllables escaped his throat. He covered his neck with both hands and thumped to the ground, struggling bitterly for a few seconds before his eyes rolled up and he went to meet Yama[7].


    The deputy leader reacted first. His eyes rounded, his face filled with fear, ¡°The Tang Sect! It¡¯s the Tang Sect!¡±


    Footnotes