knee pillow
As dusk settled, the mountain wind grew colder.
Yun Wei sat leaning against the window, her newly acquired Duan Chen sword resting horizontally on her lap.
The trip to Biyue Manor, the slaying of the evil spirit Xu Yi, and the assistance to Aya in suppressing the backlash—all these events were draining her already fragile remnant soul.
The triennial sect competition is just around the corner, and it is her only chance to rightfully step into the sect and face Xie Qingfeng directly.
"What are you thinking about?" Xie Lanchen's voice broke the silence of the carriage. The young man was toying with the Guiyun Sect jade talisman between his fingers, but his gaze was fixed on Yun Wei's pale face, with a hint of probing that was hard to detect.
Yun Wei didn't even lift her eyelashes, and replied insincerely, "To sort out the affairs of Biyue Manor."
Xie Lanchen slowed the spinning of the jade talisman in his fingertip a little, and casually asked, "Did you hear Xu Yi's last words?"
The boy was deep in thought, but he always pretended to be indifferent. His roundabout questioning now seemed deliberate.
Yun Wei simply stated directly: "I heard you."
His expression froze almost imperceptibly, then he forced a slightly mocking smile: "So what do you think? Xu E is deeply devoted to you, forging 'Dustbreaker' for you and hiding the sword for four years. Even a fool could see through his intentions. You really... have no feelings for him?"
Yun Wei glanced at him unhappily, her voice cold: "My lifelong pursuit is only the pinnacle of swordsmanship. I accepted 'Dustbreaker' only because it is a sharp blade that can help me move forward, not a token of affection. As for Xu E..."
She paused, her gaze drifting to the fleeting shadows of the trees outside the window, her tone flat and unchanging, "He is an upright and impeccable person. But to me, he was just a stranger, nothing more."
There was a moment of silence in the carriage.
The boy was silent for a moment, then suddenly changed the subject, his tone clearly questioning: "You knew the cold pool was a trap, so why did you send me to investigate? If I were really swallowed by that ferocious beast at the bottom of the pool, wouldn't you have gained a new 'nemesis'? Or..." He leaned forward slightly, his gaze intense, "You think you can pull me out at any time with your abilities, so using me as bait is fine?"
Yunwei frowned slightly.
She was well aware of the dangers of the icy pool, but she was even more aware of Xie Lanchen's strength.
By drawing Xu Yi into revealing a weakness, he was indeed the most suitable pawn.
She looked at the boy again, her tone calm: "You have the ability to protect yourself. If you can't even handle that little bit of danger, you don't deserve to be my nemesis."
"You!" Xie Lanchen's fingers clenched tightly at the corner of his sleeve, a nameless anger rising to his head, but he was blocked by her matter-of-fact tone and had nowhere to vent it.
Finally, he let out a cold snort, abruptly turned his head to look at the rapidly receding scenery outside the window, his jawline taut, and said nothing more.
Finally, it's quiet again.
Seeing that he had finally calmed down, Yunwei closed her eyelids slightly, forcibly suppressing the weakness and exhaustion surging deep within her eyes. The stinging pain emanating from the depths of her remnant soul grew clearer, making even maintaining consciousness difficult.
She focused her mind, trying to mobilize the scarce spiritual energy in the world to nourish her restless soul and fight against the waves of dizziness.
*
As night deepened, the carriage stopped beside a secluded grove.
The coachman whispered, "Young master, young lady, the horses need to rest and drink water. Please take a short break."
Xie Lanchen was the first to leap off the carriage, his black robes fluttering in the cold night wind.
He stretched his stiff limbs, the biting autumn chill causing his hair to flutter slightly.
The boy pursed his thin lips and walked silently to the edge of the woods. A moment later, a small bonfire crackled and lit up in the clearing.
Yun slowly opened her eyes, her dizziness subsiding slightly.
She got out of the car, walked to the campfire, and sat down with her back against an old tree.
His gaze swept over his right hand, where a faint red bloodstain had appeared on the plain cloth that had been wrapped around his hand before he set off.
This is an old wound left after Nangong Yadu used his spiritual power. Due to the weakness of his soul essence and the difficulty in replenishing his qi and blood, it has been slow to heal.
She glanced at it briefly before looking away.
The day of the Guiyun Sect Grand Competition is drawing ever closer.
The sect competition is governed by strict rules. First, the elders select 128 strong individuals to undergo tribulations in the illusion array, and only 64 of them can advance to the next round of competition.
In the second round of the competition, the opponents will be drawn by lot. The winners will stay, and the losers will be eliminated, leaving thirty-two players.
The seasonal teams had to pair up. The competition was about their tacit understanding and composure under pressure, and in the end, sixteen people remained.
The final round, "The Path of Inquiry," is the stairway to heaven. This round does not concern itself with sword techniques or spiritual power, but only with the purity or impurity of one's character. It has always been the most dangerous and the most effective test of true character in the sect competition.
In her current state, although her foundation is being rebuilt, she is far from recovering even a tenth or a twentieth of her former peak.
Yunwei closed her eyes, cleared her mind of distractions, and drew upon the sparse spiritual energy of heaven and earth to nourish her remnant soul.
The campfire danced on the boy's face across from him, casting flickering light and shadow. Xie Lanchen looked at her through the flames. In the firelight, her face was so pale it was almost transparent, and the lingering weariness between her brows was glaringly obvious to him.
He could naturally guess what she was thinking: the sect competition and revenge.
A strange sense of irritation welled up inside him. He hated seeing her putting on such a brave face, as if she would shatter and vanish at any moment. He was even more disgusted that he couldn't help but care.
"Stop thinking about it." He suddenly spoke, his voice sounding abrupt and harsh in the quiet night. "Isn't it just a sect competition? With your abilities, Yun Wei, even if you only have a wisp of remnant soul left, you'd be more than capable of dealing with those who are all talk and no action."
Yun Wei's heart stirred: those words are indeed true.
But when he says it, there's always a hint of barb, and a hint of... something else.
She didn't open her eyes, only letting out a faint "hmm" through her nose.
The boy's words were extremely stiff, but she could hear the awkwardness in them, a concern he was trying to hide.
This feels somewhat unfamiliar.
Seeing her indifferent reaction, Xie Lanchen, somewhat bored, poked the fire hard with a branch, causing sparks to crackle and fly in all directions.
After a moment of silence, he stared at the leaping flames, as if he had made a great decision, and asked in a muffled voice, "What happens after you get your revenge? Can't you... stay in Guiyun Sect?" As soon as the words left his mouth, he was stunned.
Whether she stays or leaves Guiyun Sect is none of his business. What else is there between them besides old grudges and a life-sharing pact?
Yunwei slowly opened her eyes.
After taking revenge?
This question had become unattainable after she was framed and killed by her own relatives.
Now that the remnants of their souls have reunited, the road ahead is fraught with danger, and powerful enemies surround them. Talking about "what comes after" is too extravagant.
Yunwei truthfully replied, "I don't know."
"The world is vast, and the way of the sword is boundless. Perhaps I should find a quiet place to cultivate in seclusion, or perhaps I should travel the world with my sword, or perhaps..." She paused, a blank look flashing across her eyes.
With the great revenge unavenged and the blood debt unpaid, where will they find their final resting place?
The only thing that is clear is that she will not stop, she will not linger for anyone or anything, until she gets justice for that heart-piercing sword.
Yunwei answered truthfully, "I don't know."
"The world is vast, and the way of the sword is boundless. Perhaps I will find a quiet and undisturbed place to cultivate in seclusion and pursue the ultimate realm of the sword; perhaps I will travel the world with my sword; or perhaps..." She paused, a trace of confusion flashing in her eyes.
With the great revenge unavenged and the blood debts yet to be repaid, it is too early to discuss our fate.
The only thing that is clear is that she will not stop, she will not linger for anyone or anything, until the dust settles, until she gets justice for that heart-piercing sword.
"I'll go take a look around." The boy suddenly stood up and disappeared into the edge of the woods without looking back.
Yunwei looked in the direction he disappeared, but didn't pay any attention.
His thoughts have always been as unpredictable as the wind, and I have no intention of delving into them.
She closed her eyes again, leaning against the rough, cold tree trunk, her consciousness struggling between lucidity and drowsiness.
Ultimately, the overwhelming feeling of weakness prevailed, her consciousness gradually blurred, and she sank into a brief darkness.
After an unknown amount of time, a deliberately hushed voice drifted over, startling Yunwei from her light sleep.
"Young master, look... it's late at night, the dew is heavy, and the air is too cold. Miss Yun is sleeping under the tree like this... I'm afraid..." It was the coachman's voice, filled with cautious flattery.
"Don't wake her." The young man's cold voice, tinged with anger, immediately rang out, ruthlessly interrupting the coachman.
Yunwei's eyelashes trembled slightly, and her consciousness returned instantly.
What came into view was not the tree trunk or campfire she had expected, but a pair of cobalt blue eyes that were close at hand, gazing down at her.
Those eyes, which were usually icy or mocking, now appeared unusually focused in the flickering firelight, clearly reflecting Yun Wei's bewildered face.
Xie Lanchen?
Yun Wei was startled and immediately sat up straight.
Only then did she realize that she hadn't been leaning against the tree trunk, but had been resting her head on the boy's lap.
He clearly hadn't expected Yunwei to wake up so suddenly. Her abrupt movement of getting up made him sway slightly, and a fleeting look of embarrassment and discomfort crossed his face.
Yun Wei raised her hand and pressed her still throbbing forehead, her tone returning to its usual coldness: "What happened?" Her sharp gaze swept over Xie Lanchen's obviously stiff body, then looked at the coachman running away in the distance.
The boy retorted irritably, "Why are you glaring at me? Do you think I want you to use my head as a pillow? I went to patrol the area and also used the jade talisman to contact Xie Qingfeng, telling him that the matter at Biyue Manor was settled and I would be returning soon." He paused, his eyes darkening, his voice lowered, carrying a tense and solemn tone, "He said he would send the Wind Chaser to pick me up, but I stopped him."
Yun Wei's tense nerves relaxed slightly, and the coldness in her eyes faded a little.
The boy is cunning and his actions are both righteous and wicked, but he is by no means a fool.
If he were to reveal her whereabouts to Xie Qingfeng, it would be tantamount to digging his own grave. Xie Qingfeng could not tolerate his "fallen" biological daughter, so how could he possibly let go of an adopted son who harbored a "traitor" and failed to report it?
Given that person's character, he would rather kill the innocent than let the guilty go free, and Xie Lanchen would never do something so foolish as to invite trouble upon himself.
Yun Wei was slightly taken aback when her gaze inadvertently swept over her right hand.
The old strips of cloth stained with blood were gone, replaced by a clean and neat new cloth wrapping.
Although the bandaging technique seemed a bit rusty, it was noticeably more careful and meticulous than before.
Her gaze returned to Xie Lanchen's face, which seemed to say, "Don't look at me."
The answer is self-evident.
He switched them while she was unconscious and unaware.
"Xie Lanchen," Yun Wei called softly.
"Hmm?" The boy responded almost subconsciously, then looked at her warily, wondering what she was going to say next.
Looking at his tense face, which still retained some of his youthful innocence, Yunwei remembered that he was indeed two years younger than her.
She sighed. "You're two years younger than me after all," she paused, as if explaining or stating a fact, "a little eccentric, a little temperamental, a little bad-tempered... that's not unusual."
The boy's eyes widened, wanting to retort, "Who's two years younger than you? Who's behaving strangely?" But looking into Yun Wei's calm and unwavering eyes, which even hinted at a sense of "tolerance," the words that were about to come out stuck in his throat.
A feeling of suffocation welled up in my chest, unable to escape or come down.
The campfire crackled, and only silence remained between the two men—a strange, yet not suffocating, silence.
Just as Yun Wei thought he wouldn't speak again and was about to close her eyes to meditate again, Xie Lanchen suddenly blurted out, "In the sect competition, the season rounds... require pairs. I suppose you can't find anyone else, so why don't you... team up with me?"
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