lie
Following the faint cries for help, the three pushed aside the waist-high weeds by the roadside.
A man covered in blood lay in a pool of blood, with a tattered medicine basket lying beside him containing several mud-covered herbs.
His unfocused eyes lit up with a glimmer of light when he saw the person approaching. His blood-stained hand trembled as he pointed to the medicine basket on the ground. His throat made hoarse sounds as he mustered his last strength to squeeze out a few words: "My mother... is seriously ill... herbal medicine..." Before he could finish speaking, he breathed his last.
Nangong Ya squatted down, placed her fingertips on his neck, and examined the several lacerations on his chest and abdomen. Her brows furrowed, and she shook her head: "The fatal wounds are in his chest and abdomen. His internal organs are shattered. He can't be saved."
He was another pitiful man. His mother was waiting for medicine at the door, but he died a violent death in the wilderness.
Human life is as worthless as grass, and there is so much suffering in this world. Yunwei suppressed the surging pity in her heart. The road to revenge was still long, and there was no time for too much sentimentality.
After settling the people in, the three set off again.
They had traveled for less than half an hour when the weather suddenly changed.
The rain was torrential, with lightning and thunder. Large raindrops pounded against the car roof, quickly forming a white curtain of rain.
The Wind Chaser suddenly let out a terrified neigh, its front hooves rearing up high. Immediately afterward, the chariot lurched to a sudden stop with a sharp "crack".
"Your Guiyun Sect's carriages look impressive, but how come they're so useless?" Nangong Ya muttered, frowning as she leaned against the carriage window. "They've only been gone a short while, and they've already broken down."
Guiyun Sect's carriages are of the highest quality, and ordinary swords and knives cannot even scratch them. How could they break so easily on a mere muddy mountain road? Yun Wei thought to herself, her gaze already fixed on the Lone Goose Sword at Xie Lanchen's waist.
Since her remnant soul was attached to the sword, she had vaguely sensed a strange connection with it, and perhaps she could try to manipulate its form.
Yun Wei reached out directly, ignoring the boy's puzzled and questioning gaze, and drew the Lone Goose Sword from his waist.
The hilt of the sword felt slightly cool to the touch. With a thought, under Xie Lanchen's suddenly constricted pupils and Nangong Ya's astonished gaze, the gleaming longsword flowed and transformed in her hand like water, instantly turning into an oil-paper umbrella.
Fortunately, this amount of spiritual energy was still enough. Yun Wei felt a little relieved, opened her umbrella, and took the first step into the torrential rain.
"You can actually change its form?" Nangong Ya chased after her, curiously poking the umbrella with her finger, then looked at Xie Lanchen, whose face was so gloomy it could drip water. "Could it be that kid's blood that made you a sword spirit? I heard that a sword spirit has to communicate with the sword master's thoughts."
Upon hearing this, Xie Lanchen's face darkened instantly. His thin lips pressed into a line, and his gloomy gaze swept over Nangong Ya as he coldly said, "Stop talking nonsense."
Sword spirit is the essence of a sword that has become spiritually connected with it, or the remnant soul of a cultivator that merges with the sword.
Yunwei tightened her grip on the umbrella handle. Aya was straightforward and had no ill intentions. She also regarded Yunwei as a close friend, so she spoke without much restraint and did not mean to be disrespectful.
She crouched down and ran her fingertips along the edge of the broken axle. The surface felt unusually smooth, indicating that it was not caused by natural breakage or wear.
Xie Lanchen's gaze lingered on her calm profile, filled with confusion.
Is she really that indifferent? Being compared to an object and having her awkward situation pointed out, she didn't even flinch?
His fingertips turned white as he rubbed them together inside his sleeve, and the anger he had just suppressed surged up again, mixed with a bit of inexplicable irritability.
She still had that aloof attitude, as if nothing could please her, which was infuriating.
"The cut was smooth, and the force was precise; this is not something ordinary bandits could do." Xie Lanchen's cold voice rang out above her head, carrying his usual sarcasm.
Yunwei stood up, the rain soaking the hem of her skirt.
She didn't refute his words, her mind racing: Guiyun Sect's carriages were exceptionally sturdy, difficult to damage with ordinary swords and blades, so the muddy mountain road couldn't explain the broken axle.
Could it be a monster...?
"There seems to be a village ahead!" Nangong Ya, with her sharp eyes, pointed through the white rain curtain to a faint light shining from a mountain hollow not far away. "The rain is too heavy, and the carriage is broken. Shall we go to the village and ask if there's a carpenter who can repair the carriage? We could also find a place to take shelter from the rain! It's too uncomfortable to stay in this desolate wilderness." She rubbed her arms, clearly feeling uneasy from the cold rain and the eerie atmosphere.
Yunwei stared intently and, sure enough, she could vaguely make out the outlines of several thatched huts.
Seeking shelter from the rain in a deserted village seems ordinary, but with the cart axle destroyed and a herb gatherer recently died there, it may not be safe.
She weighed her options: She had no other choice but to be vigilant and, if danger arose, would do everything in her power to protect Aya. As for Xie Lanchen… he was capable enough; she didn't need to worry about him.
"Okay, let's go take a look." Yunwei nodded and walked towards the lights first.
At the village entrance, an old man wearing a tattered straw raincoat sat hunched over under the low eaves of his house. He held an old book with tattered edges in his hands, and under the dim light of an oil lamp, his lips moved rapidly and silently, his expression focused.
Only when the footsteps of the three approached did he seem to be awakened, suddenly raising his head. His cloudy eyes were first blank, then revealed a hint of surprise.
"Child, come in and take shelter from the rain! When it rains, there are always some unclean things in the mountains," the old man said in a hoarse voice, putting down his book.
Xie Lanchen frowned and asked in a harsh tone, "Does your village have a carpenter who can repair cars?"
The old man was taken aback by his nonsensical words.
Yun Wei subtly took a small step forward, just enough to shield Xie Lanchen slightly behind her. She nodded gently to the old man and said in a gentle tone, "I'm sorry, my brother is impatient. Our car broke down on the mountain road, and the rain is too heavy to continue. We were wondering if there were any skilled carpenters in the village?"
Xie Lanchen: ...Who is your brother?
Seeing that Yun Wei was speaking politely, the man's expression softened. He sighed, "Alas, this is really bad timing! Zhang the carpenter in the village is undoubtedly skilled, but with this rain today... the mountain road is probably washed away. He lives at the east end of the village, and he won't be able to get here anytime soon." He pointed his withered, twig-like finger to the west side of the village. "Old Lady Li's house at the west end of the village is quite spacious. Her son, Li Da, went out to gather herbs for her a few days ago, leaving her alone as a blind old woman. Go and ask; perhaps they can let you stay overnight to escape the rain!"
Old Lady Li? Her son who gathers herbs?
Upon hearing this, Yun Wei, Xie Lanchen, and Nangong Ya all felt a chill and exchanged a solemn look.
Could the dead herb gatherer have been Old Lady Li's son?
The three followed the instructions and went to the west of the village.
A somewhat lonely courtyard with earthen yellow walls and gray-black tiles. Two bright red lanterns sway in the wind and rain. A messy stack of firewood is piled in the corner, and two rough pottery jars stand by the door.
An elderly woman with gray hair, wearing an old blue cotton shirt, was groping her way to sit under the eaves. She had a rosy complexion and did not look like someone who was seriously ill.
"Mother-in-law," Yunwei called softly as she stepped forward.
Hearing the voice, Old Lady Li raised her head blankly, her eyes dull and unfocused: "Who is it?"
“We are on our way to visit relatives in the southwest, but our carriage broke down on the mountain road and we were caught in a heavy rain. We heard from an old man at the village entrance that your house is spacious, and we would like to ask you for help to stay overnight and take shelter from the rain.”
"Come in, come in! The house is empty, my son isn't home, please feel free to stay." Old Mrs. Li groped her way to her feet and warmly ushered them into the house.
The house looked bigger inside than outside, with two main rooms and a kitchen, but the tables, chairs and benches were covered in a layer of dust, cobwebs hung in the corners, and there was a damp, musty smell of wood in the air, as if no one had cleaned it for a long time.
Nangong Ya sniffed and took the initiative to speak: "Grandma, do you have an umbrella? This rain doesn't look like it's going to stop. I'm just killing time anyway, so I thought I'd go for a walk in the back mountain to see if I can find some fresh herbs. Maybe you can use them?"
Grandma Li groped her way to a broken cabinet in the corner, rummaged around inside for a while, and took out an old oil-paper umbrella with crooked ribs and several holes in the canopy. She handed it over with a hint of apology: "Girl, this is the only umbrella we have at home. My son made it before he left."
Nangong Ya looked at the tattered umbrella, her lips twitched, and she reluctantly took it: "Thank you, Grandma, something is better than nothing." She opened the umbrella, muttered "at least it can block some rain," and plunged into the rain.
Aya wanted to fulfill the unfinished wish of the deceased herb gatherer. Yunwei watched her disappearing figure in the rain, feeling only confusion.
The umbrella's surface was rotten and translucent, and its ribs were covered in rust; it was clearly an old object that had been left unused for more than a decade.
Why is the umbrella her son made before leaving home so worn out? Is it because her mother-in-law is senile and has misremembered, or... is there something else going on?
Grandma Li was still standing there groping around when Yunwei stepped forward and gently supported her withered arm.
"Grandma, please sit here." She led Grandma Li slowly to the relatively clean old wooden chair in the main room and helped her sit down.
The house is covered in a thick layer of dust; it must be difficult for the elderly person living alone.
She subconsciously looked at Xie Lanchen. The young man leaned silently against the wall of the main room, his arms crossed. His posture seemed casual, but his eyes coldly scanned every corner of the room, from the dusty window frames to the cobwebs in the corners, and finally landed on her. His brows furrowed even more, and his whole person exuded a kind of coldness that kept strangers away.
Grandma Li settled herself down, groped for Yun Wei's hand, and smiled slightly. "Child, you're such a kind person, and you must be very handsome, right? How old are you? Are you engaged?" Her cloudy eyes tried to "look" in Yun Wei's direction. "My son, Li Da, is honest and capable, but he's not married yet!"
Yun Wei was slightly taken aback. Before she could speak, she heard Xie Lanchen, who was leaning against the door, let out a very soft but extremely cold sneer.
His reaction...was it because he found it laughable, or something else? Yun Wei didn't have time to delve into it.
“Mother-in-law,” she gently withdrew her hand, “thank you for your kindness. But I have important matters to attend to and have no intention of getting married in this life.”
With blood feud unresolved and soul bound to the sword, how can one even think of marriage?
Old Mrs. Li paused for a moment, seemingly disappointed, but quickly resumed her rambling: "Ah, what a pity... But it's alright, when my son comes back tomorrow, I'll let him show you the good herbs he's collected, they're all good stuff..."
“My son is the most filial son. Knowing that this old woman’s eyesight is poor and her health is weak, he goes to the mountains to gather herbs for me every few days… Judging by the days, he should be back soon. Have you seen him on the road?”
Upon hearing this, Xie Lanchen's thin lips moved slightly, as if he was about to speak.
In his view, concealing the truth is meaningless, and even another form of cruelty to the living.
But Yunwei was faster, swiftly covering his mouth with one hand, and at the same time calmly saying in the direction of Old Lady Li, "Grandma, we've met."
"Really? Where is he? Is he alright?"
Xie Lanchen had his mouth covered by her, and he glared at her with his eyes wide open.
"Looking at me won't help," Yun Wei thought to herself.
He felt relieved to tell the truth, but his blind mother-in-law would probably have to go with her son tonight.
Yun Wei released her hand, shook her head very slightly at him, and then turned to Grandma Li, saying gently, "He's fine, he just encountered some trouble on the way and was delayed. He'll definitely be home tomorrow."
Grandma Li grinned and said "Good, good" several times, as if the scene of her son returning home was right before her eyes.
"I knew it... I knew he would come back... It's good that he's back... It's good that he's back..." she murmured, groping to get up, and went back to the inner room to rest, satisfied.
A peaceful night might be the last warmth she would experience for the rest of her life. Yunwei gazed into the inner room, feeling little relief.
"Why did you lie?" Xie Lanchen's voice rang out coldly.
Yun Wei gently braced herself against the wooden table behind her, maintaining her standing posture, her ten fingers slightly curling and then relaxing at her sides: "I just want my mother-in-law to be able to sleep peacefully before she knows the truth."
As soon as the words left his mouth, he suddenly felt a chilly sensation sweep across the back of his neck.
Yunwei suddenly turned her head. Outside the window, the rain was falling obliquely, but there wasn't a single person in sight.
An illusion? Her delicate brows furrowed, and her fingertips unconsciously pressed against her brow.
In the past, one could distinguish the male and female of flying insects from a hundred feet away by their flapping wings; now, even the breath beside one's body is faint and hard to grasp.
"A peaceful sleep?" Xie Lanchen let out a cold laugh. He suddenly stepped forward, placed his hands on the wooden table, and leaned down to stare intently at Yun Wei. The distance between them suddenly closed, their noses almost touching. "The truth is the truth. How long can your lie last? If she doesn't see her son tomorrow, won't she fall into the mud from her dreams? And fall even harder! Your hypocritical act right now is nothing but self-deception and hypocrisy."
Yun Wei was stunned for a moment before she came to her senses.
He said she was hypocritical?
"Xie Lanchen, the 'truth' you speak of is far too cruel to this elderly, blind woman who longs for her son by the door. Do you understand? Is offering her this brief solace for one night truly an unforgivable act of hypocrisy in your eyes?"
"I..." Xie Lanchen's eyes flickered, as if he was wavering.
He suddenly took two steps back, turned his back, his shoulders heaving slightly, and clenched his fist so tightly that his knuckles dug into his palm, almost drawing blood.
Did I... say something too harsh just now? A clear trace of regret flashed across his furrowed brows.
Yunwei didn't look at him again. She gently pushed his arm, which was pressed tightly against the table and had veins bulging from the force, with her palm. Caught off guard, the boy staggered back half a step, a look of surprise flashing in his eyes.
This person has always been like this; he's easily angered and can't stop talking about old grudges, as if the whole world owes him something.
She walked straight to the corner of the wall, bent down to pick up the broom covered in cobwebs, dusted off the dust, and her voice turned completely cold, devoid of any emotion: "We have different paths, so we cannot work together. If you think it's hypocrisy, then so be it."
What was the boy's obsession with the truth? He was clearly venting all his resentment towards Guiyun Sect, fate, and even himself on her—Yunwei saw it clearly.
She knew all too well the importance of the truth, but how could she withstand such a heavy blow from an elderly woman like Li, who was nearing the end of her life?
"I..." The boy's throat felt like it was being gripped tightly by an invisible hand. He seemed to want to say something, his lips moved, his gaze complex, with embarrassment, annoyance, and a stinging pain of being ignored churning in his eyes, yet he stubbornly stuck out his neck, putting on a cold and indifferent look.
Finally, he turned around abruptly, carrying with him an almost tangible chill and pent-up anger, and rushed into the pouring rain without looking back.
Yun Wei paused in her sweeping, listening to the receding, angry footsteps, her heart felt calm, even somewhat empty.
Having died once, she had long since become indifferent to many things. In the past, if Xie Lanchen had dared to be so aggressive, she would have retorted on the spot, or even drawn her sword to make him lose face.
But now, she felt that arguing was pointless, especially since the person she was arguing with was Xie Lanchen.
The deceased are gone, what's the point of saying more? The conflict between them cannot be resolved with just a few words. Instead of wasting energy on this pointless argument, it would be better to do something practical.
Right now, all she wants is to do something for this poor old woman before she leaves tomorrow, so that her days can be a little easier when she's all alone.
Squeak—
The half-closed door was suddenly pushed open by a hand.
Xie Lanchen is back?
Yunwei paused, looking in the direction of the sound.
A figure, soaking wet and covered in grass clippings and mud, staggered across the threshold and came in. Rainwater mixed with dark red mud flowed down his trouser legs, forming a small, murky puddle.
The broom in Yunwei's hand fell to the ground with a "thud".
at the same time.
As Xie Lanchen hurried through the rain, he suddenly felt a jolt at his waist. The Lone Goose Sword seemed to be alive and vibrated violently, and a sharp pain shot straight through his heart from the hilt.
The sudden, sharp pain made him bend over instantly, letting out a muffled groan.
"Something happened to her?" The boy's expression changed drastically.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
