Chapter 89 Immortal Island, Next Year at This Time, I Will Be Waiting for You Here

"It's him?" Wan Qixi froze in mid-air, his sword held high.

"Sister, you are so beautiful."

"Your younger brother is just like you, a rare talent and a gem in the world."

Wan Qixi recalled the man's profile, flickering in the light and shadow. "Impossible. The Jin army suffered a crushing defeat at Eagle Ridge Pass. He was just a hundred meters away. The rebels swarmed like locusts. He fought his way out of the encirclement while heavily wounded... How could the Blood Crossbow Case be related to him?"

He also carried the sword his sister had forged herself…

Cui Jin stared at Wan Qixi's bewildered expression. "Before the Blood Crossbow Incident, he was just the most inconspicuous of all the princes. After the victory in suppressing the rebellion, he was made crown prince and inherited the throne... I've pondered this for many years. After the Blood Crossbow Incident, the five major workshops in Rongdu were wiped out overnight, and there were almost no blacksmiths left in the world. The court revoked the right of the outer workshops to manufacture weapons, and from then on, the power over weapons was firmly in the hands of the court... Too many people either died or fled because of this incident. The only beneficiary was the court, and that was him!"

"It all started when he stepped into Tianhufang and saw the young lady," Cui Jin'ai said, her eyes lowering. "The world admires handsome faces, yearns for unimaginable status, and chases after mysterious souls, unaware that beauty fades, status vanishes, and souls dissipate. His appearance blinded the young lady; she shouldn't have believed him..."

"You've misjudged my sister." Wan Qixi refused to believe that the A Jing in her heart would see her sister this way. "Back then, even Guan Xiaotian, who was engrossed in forging iron, could see your feelings for my sister. When I was young, I also wondered why she didn't feel any romantic feelings for you, despite your years of companionship and deep affection for her..."

Cui Jin's face was ashen, the tattoo on his face twitching incessantly, and he waited silently for Wan Qixi to continue.

"So, the sister you see is just one of the many mediocre souls in the world. If you can see her like that, it seems you are also the kind of person you are talking about."

Wan Qixi recalled his reunion with his sister after their deaths, a story he was unwilling to tell Cui Jin. He couldn't believe that his all-powerful sister had truly died in that tsunami. Lu Chaoge, the first among three thousand swordsmen, whose sword dance astonished Huating, could not have died silently in the cold sea. A Jing left in despair, but her younger brother, Lu Xiaojun, refused to believe it.

Lu Xiaojun spent several years with the fisherman who rescued him. He was no longer the pampered young master of Tianhufang, but just an unknown child picked up from the beach by the fisherman and his wife. In these years, he learned to sail and fish with the fishermen. By the age of twelve, he could sail out to sea alone, pulling the sail in the waves and facing the wind without fear.

The villagers said that this family had really struck gold; such a bright child was a natural-born talent.

Also in that year, Lu Xiaojun sailed back to the place where his fishing boat had been wrecked. He heard from the old people in the fishing village that if the boat went south, it would see a fairy island.

What kind of fairy island?

—A fairy island with land resembling a tortoise shell and sky filled with swirling clouds and mist.

Who lives on the island?

—An immortal who cultivates in seclusion on a closed island.

"Sister, could she have gone to that island?" Lu Xiaojun hoisted the sails high; he was going to find this legendary fairy island, to go find his sister.

After sailing at sea for three days, Lu Xiaojun finally saw the fairy island shaped like a tortoise shell in the hazy sunlight. In the swirling clouds, the sunlight spread on the fine sand. A familiar figure stood on the shore, gazing at the mysterious fishing boat in the distance. The figure looked at Lu Xiaojun at the bow of the boat, watching him quietly, like a silhouette, frozen in Lu Xiaojun's memory.

Upon seeing the person clearly, tears welled up in Lu Xiaojun's eyes. That familiar face remained unchanged after all these years. Her clothes fluttered, yet she stood as steadfast as a pine tree. She was her older sister, the all-powerful Lu Chaoge. She had done it; she was still alive.

"Young Master, are you talking about me?" Cui Jin asked in a sinister tone.

"Let's end it here tonight." Wan Qixi turned away and wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes. "The Imperial Advisor keeps saying that the person ruined Tianhufang, but you and I both know that back then, my sister wasn't on the wanted posters plastered all over the city."

"If there's no young lady here, then why did she run away?"

Wanqi Xi paused slightly, "Regardless of whether Ajiu has knocked on the door of revenge against Tianhufang as you say, I still have more faith in the sword in my hand."

Watching Wan Qixi's retreating figure without turning back, Cui Jin's single eye revealed deep sorrow. There were many things he had never told anyone, which he kept bottled up in his heart and formed knots. When the night was quiet, thinking about them would make his heart ache and he would toss and turn, unable to sleep. But Wan Qixi had buried the answer he most wanted to know deep in his heart, and would never say it out loud.

"Sister! Sister..."

Lu Xiaojun waved his hand with all his might, his voice hoarse from shouting. He was so afraid that the person in front of him was just a phantom, and that his sister would disappear in an instant and never be found again once he got closer.

“Sister…” Lu Xiaojun’s hand trembled with excitement as she pulled the sail. “Wait for me, wait for me.”

Through the misty clouds, he could see his sister's face clearly. He could even see the tears glistening in her eyes. Before the boat even reached the shore, Lu Xiaojun couldn't wait to jump off the boat, stepping on the soft sand and running towards his sister.

"Sister! Sister!"

"Xiaojun...is it really you..."

Lu Chaoge watched her younger brother running towards her, his image overlapping with that of a child from back then. Just like back then, she smiled through her tears, a smile as joyful as it was at home. That was her older sister, radiant as the morning sun, no matter when or where.

Lu Xiaojun hugged her sister tightly. The two siblings embraced each other, tears streaming down their faces and soaking their clothes. Lu Chaoge cupped her brother's face and looked at him closely, a look of relief on her face. "You've grown taller and more handsome. You are indeed my brother, worthy of being my brother."

“Sister, you…” Lu Xiaojun mimicked her expression as she looked at her, “you’re still so beautiful.”

"Of course," Lu Chaoge said arrogantly. "Who am I? Otherwise, how could I be your sister?"

"Where's A-Jing?" Lu Chaoge looked at the fishing boat drifting on the sea not far away. "Have you found A-Jing?"

She was worried about A-Jing. Looking at the empty deck, a deep worry furrowed her brow. She was afraid of hearing from her brother that A-Jing had gotten into trouble.

"Ah Jing is alright." Lu Xiaojun noticed her sister's anxiety. "Ah Jing... found me..."

Lu Chaoge revealed an expression that seemed to understand everything. It wasn't disappointment or sorrow, but rather as if she had long seen through A-Jing's heart and knew that he would eventually leave. "A-Jing is alright, that's good."

"Let's go." Lu Xiaojun came back to his senses. He took a deep breath of the strong smoke around him. It was a smell he was all too familiar with. Rongdu Tianhufang, his own foundry, was also filled with smoke all year round. Years of the smell of the sea had made him almost forget this smell. Now, when it entered his nostrils again, he only felt the smell of blood hitting him.

“Sister.” Lu Xiaojun grabbed her sister’s wrist. “Let’s go quickly before anyone sees us. I’ll take you… away from here.”

Lu Chaoge gazed at his younger brother's grown-up face. His clear, bright eyes looked at him expectantly, his handsome features resembling his deceased father's. Yet, he was also childish; he was only twelve years old. This young master, who should have been full of vigor in his family's weapons workshop, was now dressed in patched, coarse clothes, his trousers rolled up to his calves, revealing skin covered in scratches. He had grown much taller than when they had been separated. The sea breeze cut his face like a knife, but he raised his stubborn face, like a seabird battling the wind and waves.

The child she once held in her arms can finally say to her sister: I'll take you away from here.

Lu Chaoge smiled with relief, but as she smiled, her eyes welled up with tears again.

“Sister.” Lu Xiaojun pointed to the boat, “My knife is on the boat. If anyone tries to stop you from leaving, I will kill them. I’m all grown up now, and with A-Jing’s knife, I can definitely protect you.”

Lu Chaoge stroked her younger brother's face. "You should go now."

"Sister?" Lu Xiaojun thought she had misheard. "Aren't you leaving?"

Lu Chaoge shook her head, "Sister...can't leave."

"Why!?" Lu Xiaojun was so anxious that she was about to cry. She turned around and went to get her sword.

Lu Chaoge grabbed her younger brother and turned to look at the large rock behind her. She opened her mouth as if to speak but then stopped. Lu Xiaojun followed her gaze—behind the rock, a child of about three or four years old peeked out. The child was exquisitely beautiful and seemed to have been quietly hiding behind the rock for a long time. He wasn't shy at all; his big, dark eyes looked curiously at the passengers on the large ship he had never seen before. When his eyes met Lu Xiaojun's, he even smiled shyly. The sunlight fell on his small body, enveloping him in light, making him sparkle.

"He is..." Lu Xiaojun stared at her sister, seemingly realizing something, "He is..."

Lu Chaoge extended his hand to the child, "Call him uncle."

The child approached obediently, pursing his lips a little shyly, but still called out in a clear voice, "Uncle."

"Oh." Lu Xiaojun responded absentmindedly, "Oh... Sister... who is he?"

—It was him…it was him…

Just as Lu Xiaojun was about to speak, Lu Chaoge nodded slightly to him, already guessing who her brother was about to mention.

"It's him." Lu Xiaojun blinked, tears welling up in her eyes. "My sister and his child..."

“This is Canglang Island.” Lu Chaoge looked up at the rising sun. “In a little while, the islanders will come out to collect shells. They don’t know I’m here.”

“Sister…” Lu Xiaojun stepped forward and grabbed her sleeve, “Take the child with you, let’s go together.”

Lu Chaoge smiled sadly and slipped her sleeve out. "I'm not leaving. I'll stay here. No one comes and goes from Canglang Island. If someone discovers you, that Master Pei will definitely be on high alert. It's not impossible that he will report it to the imperial court."

—Canglang Island…is Xingguo Ward, the home of the Pei family. Lu Xiaojun had heard her father mention this family history when she was young. She never imagined that she and her sister would end up in this place after all the twists and turns. The Pei family, who lost the imperial sword test, willingly accepted their exile to —Canglang Island.

"I won't be at ease until you and A-Jing are safe and sound." Lu Chaoge picked up the child and looked back warily.

"Then I'll come find you another day, next time!" Lu Xiaojun said through gritted teeth. "I'll come again soon."

Lu Chaoge took Lu Xiaojun's hand and walked towards the fishing boat that appeared and disappeared in the mist. On the soft, wet sand, their footprints were deep and shallow. "What day is it today?"

—"The ninth day of the ninth lunar month".

Lu Chaoge thought for a moment, "Come again on the ninth day of the ninth lunar month next year, which is today."

“Sister…” Lu Xiaojun grasped her hand, “Next year? That’s too long…too long.”

Lu Chaoge didn't allow him to hesitate, "Canglang Island is surrounded by shallow reefs and undercurrents. You come here often, so you're bound to run into them. Xingguo Fang has been on the island for decades, and the islanders often appear at sea. If you steal it and get caught, given the history between our two families... Master Pei will never let us siblings go. I won't allow you to take the risk."

“But,” Lu Xiaojun insisted, “a year is just too long.”

Lu Chaoge pushed her younger brother onto the fishing boat, took the child's hand and waved to him. The familiar smile that Lu Xiaojun knew appeared on her face again. She pointed to her heart and said, "Even hurricanes can't kill us. As long as we siblings care about each other, we'll meet again next year. Whether we meet or not, what does it matter?"

--"elder sister…"

"I'm leaving." Lu Chaoge turned around without hesitation, stepping onto the sand without looking back. "I'll be waiting for you here next year on this day."