Yan Qiu

I lived through eight carefree years. My father would carry me on his shoulders to watch the peach blossoms, and my mother would slip candied fruit into my hands after sword practice. I knew I had a younger sister, and my mother would often touch my head and say, "Once you find Yingying, you sisters will have company."

The catastrophe struck so swiftly. Overnight, my father fell off a cliff in front of me. Before his death, he handed me the imperial seal and told me not to avenge him—because it was my uncle, Ouyang Feiying, who had killed him. He entrusted me with three important tasks: find my mother and apologize; find my sister and protect her; and find the young master, Huangfu Renhe, and hand him the imperial seal. From that day on, Shangguan Yan died, and the one who survived was the "Dragon Goddess," searching for her mother, sister, and young master.

Until I saw Yingying. She was squatting in the corner of the dilapidated temple, munching on a stale steamed bun. Yishan's eyes were red as he said, "Yan girl, this is your biological sister." With trembling hands, I examined the birthmark on her hip. The plum blossom-shaped mark was exactly the same as I remembered. As I held her frail body, I secretly vowed to protect her with my own life.

So when Master Bianjiang investigated Master's aunt's murder, I confessed without hesitation. Yingying's diary made me understand what kind of place Ruoshui Palace was. If she hadn't given me the opportunity to become his disciple, I might be the one suffering this right now. But Master and Master Bianjiang didn't believe me, so my sister confessed everything anyway. Fortunately, Master Bianjiang didn't pursue the matter.

Ouyang Mingri's appearance was unexpected. The sight of him playing the qin in his wheelchair, deflecting hidden weapons for me with his divine golden thread, and staying up all night preparing medicine for my injuries, moved me.

Whenever the Phoenix Blood Sword is stained with blood, I always think of the bowl of medicine Ouyang Mingri handed me. The bowl was warm, and the golden thread on his fingertips shone softly in the candlelight. At that moment, I almost drowned in this rare tenderness - since my family was destroyed, no one has ever cared for me so attentively.

"Thank you." I took the medicine bowl, my fingertips trembling slightly on the edge of the bowl.

For a moment, I had the absurd thought: if there hadn't been such a deep blood feud, if he'd been just an ordinary doctor... But Yingying's face immediately flashed before my eyes. That rainy night, she came to me, soaking wet but smiling brightly: "Sister, I'm getting married." Her eyes sparkled as she said this, a look of happiness I'd never seen before.

"It's Ouyang Mingri, the disciple of Master Bianjiang," she said softly. "I'm sorry, sister. I've always respected you. I just... want to live for myself. Oh, and this is the Silver Thread Gu. When you're ready to enter the martial arts world, take it beforehand. It can cure all poisons, but it only works once, so you'd better be careful." Then I watched her carefully pull out the oil-paper bag from her bosom. Inside lay two pieces of sugared pear paste. "Sister, try it. This is the most delicious thing my adoptive mother ever gave me when I was a child."

I remember Master Bianjiang's disciple; I'd met him before. Back then, Master Bianjiang called him "Old Seven," supposedly because he was Master Bianjiang's seventh disciple. From a quick glance, I knew he was physically challenged and seemed deeply withdrawn. While Master and Master talked, he remained silent in the corner, never looking up, never speaking, like a lifeless jade sculpture. And I, focused solely on my path of revenge, practicing swordplay daily, left no mark on either of our lives; I never even truly saw each other's face.

Later, before she disappeared, seriously injured, she held my hand with her weak breath and said, "I'm going to make Mingri forget me. Don't tell him the truth... Whether I can come back or not, I want him to never know. Sister, if I can come back, I have a wish."

"Sister will avenge you!" I said with tears in my eyes.

"No! I just want to eat candied pear paste with you!" Yingying left after giving me a smile.

So when Ouyang Mingri prepared medicine for me, when he played the flute for me under the moonlight, I almost blurted out the truth. But Yingying's voice kept echoing in my ears: "Sister, before I was afraid that he would forget me, but now I am afraid that he will never forget me!"

"Miss Shangguan." He handed me the newly composed music, his eyes reflecting the light of snow. I used the Phoenix Blood Sword to remove the music sheet. The golden thread on his fingertips trembled slightly, but he still maintained a decent smile.

Sister! Where are you? I miss you so much, do you know?