Sacrifice

Spring is in full bloom down the mountain, with all sorts of unnamed wildflowers blooming wildly across the landscape.

Lin Yun was a beginner in swordsmanship and had not yet mastered it, so his swordsmanship speed was not fast, a bit slower than Sang Zhao's. Even though they were heading to Qingjian Town, which was much closer to Jingyin Sect than Shixi Village, they arrived at dusk.

This small town, which has a similar layout to Shuofeng City, was her original hometown.

She strolled through the streets, feeling unfamiliar with Qingxi Town. But that wasn't surprising; Lin Yunwang had only lived here for six years before wandering around. After the town was recaptured, she returned to her hometown and built two cenotaphs for her parents, and thereafter came to pay her respects every Qingming Festival.

After buying sacrificial items at the shop and carrying a bamboo basket, she hurried up the mountain while there was still some light.

This is a great place, overlooking the entire Qingjian Town and the hometown my parents loved most.

Even though this body is inhabited by a 25-year-old soul, Lin Yunwang can hardly remember anything from almost 10 years ago. She has even gradually forgotten what her parents look like and what their voices sound like. She still remembers the candy her father brought back from his trip and the nursery rhymes her mother told her to lull her to sleep.

Sometimes, the more you try to recall everything, the tighter you grasp at sand, the less remains. She regretted that her good memory had never been applied to people; otherwise, why couldn't she remember her parents' faces?

She knelt down to burn paper money for her parents, the paper money curling into grayish-white rolls in the copper basin. Tears streamed down her face. At first, it was alright, but as some embers were swept into the sky by the wind, the tears flowed uncontrollably like beads from a broken string.

Lin Yun longed for the comfort and happiness of that time, after all, it was the first time she had experienced family affection, so she couldn't help but think back on it from time to time.

In her original world, she was an orphan and had never established close relationships with anyone. Love, friendship, and family were all too distant things for her. But this world was different; she possessed all of these things, and this was one of the reasons she quickly accepted that she had to stay here.

“My daughter is now studying swordsmanship and seeking the Dao in the Jingyin Sect. She is no longer a helpless child.” He burst into tears, his voice thick with emotion. “I now have the ability to protect those around me.”

The girl knelt before the tomb and recounted in detail everything she had experienced in the Jingyin Sect.

"Although it seems unbelievable, if one truly masters the art of sword control and can roam freely between heaven and earth... wouldn't they be proud of me?"

As dusk settles, the whispers fade, and it feels as if we've returned to the twilight with its rising smoke from chimneys.

When she returned home from school, she would tell her mother about her day in great detail, and would ask her father when he would come home, wondering if he would bring her candy or snacks as usual.

Lin Yun once came across a sword manual, which we'll call a "sword manual" for now. It described in detail how sharp the sword in the hands of someone who had abandoned the past could be.

But the past is the past, and it cannot be erased.

For Lin Yunwang, the people he had met along the way, and the sword in his hand, were more precious treasures than anything else.

According to the sword manual, this swordsman ultimately committed suicide, using the very sharp sword described at length earlier. This ending is quite unexpected, considering the extensive descriptions of his power and the sharpness of his sword after severing all emotional ties.

As for what she learned, she didn't learn anything; she treated it entirely as a storybook.

The sun had completely disappeared below the horizon, its last glimmer of light vanished, leaving only a few sparks in the copper basin emitting a faint glow. The night was overcast with dark clouds. Lin Yun looked up at the sky, searching for the moon for a long time but finding none, so he simply gave up and stayed awake.

She arranged the offerings, and then, still feeling uneasy, poured water from the water bag into the copper basin before leaving.

"I'll come back to see you next year."

Lin Yun bowed respectfully before turning and leaving.

It's unusually quiet tonight.

Calculating the distance, Shixi Village was only ten miles away. In addition, after flying on the sword for so long, the spiritual power in his sea of ​​consciousness was exhausted, so he had no choice but to walk.

Lin Yun walked towards the village entrance, stepping on the fallen branches. The sound of them snapping was particularly clear in the night. Suddenly, she felt a chill on the back of her neck. She looked back alertly, but there were only shadowy trees behind her; the visible space was empty.

Shixi Village wasn't much different from when we left for Jingyin Sect, except that it was less populated. Everyone had moved to the city, and the once bustling village now looked deserted.

Lin Yun walked to the peach tree. The peach blossoms that were in full bloom when he left had long since fallen and turned to mud. This was the main purpose of his return to Shixi Village.

She clutched the wooden hairpin Tao Yao had given her, trying to re-establish contact. That day, after she fell into a coma during her duel with Nangong Suiqing, she soon discovered that the faint connection between her and Tao Yao had been severed.

The lingering spiritual energy of the wooden hairpin reminded her that Tao Yao was still alive, which reassured her and prevented her from panicking. She had tried to re-establish contact, but the distance made it ineffective.

The peach tree was still lush and verdant, but after calling out for a long time, there was no response.

Lin Yun raised an eyebrow, intending to use the same trick again. He had just placed the sword against his neck and hadn't even had a chance to speak when he heard a faint voice coming from behind him.

She is no longer here.

This was not Tao Yao's voice, but a hoarse male voice.

A cold glint flashed, and the sword's aura swept past the man. "Since you know the truth, why don't you show yourself and speak?"

"But the young lady's posture makes it seem like she's about to take someone's life." The man in black slowly emerged from the shadows.

The previously dense dark clouds were now gradually lifted, and the bright moonlight shone upon the two. Although the person was wrapped up tightly, only his eyes were visible. However, judging from his figure, he was clearly the one who had been fighting with him in the bamboo forest.

She remained calm, knowing that they would meet again after parting ways in the bamboo grove.

"Of course I know that this attack will not harm you."

Lin Yun sheathed his sword, his hand still gripping the hilt, ready to draw at any moment. "Our last sparring session ended in a draw. Surely you're not here to reminisce, senior?"

The man in black spoke as if he were an elder: "Very good, the sword is aimed at the enemy, not at yourself."

"I haven't considered you an enemy yet; that day was merely a competition." Lin Yun said, his gaze fixed on the cultivator three zhang away. "Why did you say 'she is no longer here'?"

“Of course it’s because I know more than you.” He pondered for a moment. “Many people know more than you, after all, you only know a fake name.”

Lin Yunwang's expression remained unchanged, unaffected by his words. "Oh? If we're talking about the depth of understanding, it should be more meaningful than just knowing each other's real names. Senior, you might as well say a few words, so that I can weigh them carefully."

"It's really sad that you were followed by a bunch of little tails without even realizing it. I took care of it for you, but I have to endure this kind of subtle and sarcastic questioning from you."

Even through the mask, she could still sense the man's mischievous intent. Looking down at her sword, it seemed this man had no intention of revealing anything tonight.

She thought to herself: If a fight breaks out, I won't have the advantage.

Lin Yun frowned, forced a smile, withdrew his hand from the sword hilt, clasped his hands in a salute, and said, "Then thank you, senior."

"I am truly worried about my friend, and I only wish to borrow your supernatural powers to know her current safety."

The man in black remained silent for a long while before walking straight towards Yang Suyue's courtyard, seemingly quite familiar with the place. Lin Yun hurried after him, asking, "What are you going to do, Senior?"

"We're about the same age, so stop calling me 'senior' all the time. It's annoying."

He walked to the stone table in the courtyard, took out a handkerchief from his sleeve, and wiped the stone bench. Lin Yunwang, who was confused, was about to take over the work when he heard him point to the clean stone bench and say, "You sit down."

The man in black, however, sat down casually on another dusty stone bench and then began wiping the stone table.

Lin Yun was momentarily confused by his actions, but decided to obey and sit down. "Thank you, senior..." Before he could finish saying "senior," he remembered what he had just said and asked, "How would you like me to address you... for example, elder brother?"

The man paused, but did not answer, only saying, "It's clean."

A chessboard was carved on the stone table. After it was wiped clean, the horizontal and vertical lines were neat and clear.

"Play a game of chess with me," the man in black said succinctly.

He produced two chess pieces from who-knows-where, saying, "If you win, tell us where Tao Yao is; if you lose, you will be banished from the Jingyin Sect forever."

I left the Jingyin Sect.

Lin Yun lowered his head and pondered to himself, so this was the purpose of this person's trip. No matter how turbulent his heart was, his tone still revealed a teasing tone, "Didn't you say that what I know are just pseudonyms? Why are you talking about pseudonyms now?"

"You don't need to be careful and test things out everywhere. Whether to compare or not, a few words are enough."

"No comparison."

Lin Yun answered crisply and decisively.

The man in black's hand, holding the chess piece, hovered in mid-air. Even though only his eyes were visible, Lin Yun could read the astonishment in them, but this emotion was quickly concealed.

Why?

Seeing that she remained silent, the man softened his voice and coaxed her gently, "How about we change the rules? If you explain the reason, I will tell you the same thing."

This is a sure-fire deal, so she has no reason not to agree.

"Click," the chess piece fell back into the cup.

Lin Yun traced the lines on the chessboard with his fingertips. "I don't like 'gambling'; I prefer to do things that are sure of success. We're not at our wits' end yet. Knowing that my old friend is well, I just want to know the definite news. Why risk the future of our sect?"

She had already promised her master to stay in the Jingyin Sect forever, and would never make a bet with this person whose identity she did not know, let alone stake her promise on it.

“Moreover, the bet is not fair,” she added.

"Such timidity doesn't seem like the rumored rising star who challenged the Second Miss Nangong with his sword." He pondered for a moment, then said, "Could it be that you've met an old friend from your sect?"

During their conversation today, the man in black's mischievous intent was palpable.

"Really? I don't think so."

Lin Yunwang suddenly stood up and retreated three steps away. Golden spiritual energy overflowed from the stone table, turning into chains that bound the man in black.

Lin Yun pressed the long sword against the man's Adam's apple and asked again, "Is that so?"