Chapter 7 Sorrowful Wind and Bitter Snow (Part Two) "Today I am leaving, who among you..."
It only snows in Luoyang during the winter.
Even when it snows, peonies will still hang under the eaves of houses all over the city; the peonies of Luoyang never wither.
When the wind blows, pink or red petals fall gently with the heavy snow. The snowballs are light and the petals sway. It is the most beautiful scene Lin Feiran has ever seen since she came to this world.
The family of three would sit on the roof, sheltered under an umbrella, with a table of delicious food in front of them, enjoying the snowy and flowery scenery together.
In an instant, the snow and flowers in the dream flowed backwards to the sky, the scenery became distorted and chaotic, and a series of memories flashed by, both strange and familiar.
She saw her mother dancing gracefully amidst the falling petals, her black hair like clouds, her eyes bright and lively. She saw her father's frozen back as her mother's hand fell limply to her side. At that moment, the setting sun outside the window was as red as blood, strikingly so.
Suddenly turning around, I saw her sitting in the small study again, writing something on a booklet stroke by stroke, muttering to herself.
She was working so hard that her mother would sit by the window, smiling and propping her head up to watch her, her lips moving but no sound coming out.
Suddenly, under the bright moon, Mother leisurely picked out a few bamboo strips. The jade-like bamboo surface reflected the clear moonlight, and under her hands, the strips intertwined to weave a flower basket the size of a palm.
A few piercing notes came from afar; it was my father practicing the piano. He practiced like this every day from afternoon to night, but he made no progress.
Her mother covered her mouth and chuckled a few times, then began to sing in response. Her voice was melodious but intermittent. Lin Feiran listened intently, but still couldn't make out what she was saying.
She dreamt that her mother broke off a white crane that could fly, and with a gentle blow, the crane cried out and flapped its wings, striking the long night like a shooting star.
She dreamt that her father looked at her with tender eyes, raised his hand to wipe away the tears from the corners of her eyes, and told her not to be sad and to live well. He said that people should be like mountains, standing tall and unyielding, and like water, nurturing all things.
She dreamt that several elders cared for her deeply, and that she was fishing with Wei Chang by a stream, with peach blossoms drifting along the water, piling up on the bank, and wetting his clothes.
Human life is inherently filled with suffering, but for the sake of the little sweetness, she can endure a lot: the difficulties from her fellow disciples, the cold ridicule and sarcasm, and the pointless attacks.
But even this last vestige of beauty was originally an illusion.
All Qiu Tong did was use a sharp blade to cut through the void before her eyes, allowing her to see the truth.
Qiu Tong didn't take anything, because she originally had nothing.
*
"Elder Xunfang, why hasn't Feiran woken up after five days? Perhaps I should contact Elder Nongyue again and ask her to stop looking for medicine and focus on waking Feiran up first." Taihui was pacing anxiously.
Upon hearing Nong Yue's name, Xun Fang's expression turned cold, and she abruptly slammed the medicine box shut: "She's been possessed by a nightmare. You should know that for a cultivator, being possessed by a nightmare is like being a living dead. Whether she can wake up or not depends entirely on herself. What can anyone else do?!"
Taihui sighed: "I was afraid you'd be confused, that you'd let that little grudge..."
Xunfang looked at him, somewhat aggressively: "So what? Just because I have a grudge against her, you don't care about treating her and just let her die? I'm not that bold as to offend the head of the household!"
Xunfang was originally one of the bone extractors, but due to her injury, her cultivation level dropped significantly, and she was no longer able to extract bones. She could only make a vow and withdraw, and the things that Zhang Chunhe had promised earlier all benefited Nongyue.
She snorted coldly, showing little sorrow on her face: "She's not dead, this is perfect. We won't have to worry about her resisting when we take her bones. Let's keep her alive with this ginseng for now."
There weren't many people in the room; besides Taihui and Xunfang, only Wei Changzai was there.
He sat on the edge of the bed looking at Lin Feiran, his long hair tied up with a wooden hairpin, his back straight like a snow pine in the mountains, motionless, lost in thought.
Xunfang glanced at him, then at Taihui. Seeing that no one paid any attention to her, she became even angrier. She slammed the ginseng box on the table with a bang, pursed her lips, and left.
Taihui snapped out of his thoughts and patted the person who seemed frozen in place: "Changzai, come out, I have something to say to you... Don't sit there blankly, it's about the bone extraction. The head monk has sent word that Nongyue has found the golden essence."
Wei Changzai twitched his fingertips slightly, glanced at Lin Feiran, slowly got up and went out, walking with Taihui towards the corridor not far away.
Soon, only a single candle flame and a girl possessed by a nightmare remained in the room.
Her dream was frozen in a painting with vibrant colors.
The rosy clouds dyed the pink lotus leaves, as if the sky and water were burning together. Dragonflies flew among the lotus leaves, bumping into a pointed bud, and the ripples they created reached the shore.
On the shore was a peach grove, and standing in the grove were two people, Lin Feiran and Wei Changzai.
The tips of both their ears were flushed red by the sunset, the atmosphere seemed a little awkward, yet contained a strange sense of joy.
Wei Changzai seemed somewhat caught off guard by Lin Feiran's sudden expression of affection.
He lowered his eyes, remained silent for a moment, and then spoke: "...Okay."
After saying that word, he suddenly smiled, then relaxed his shoulders, looked up at her, his eyes sparkling: "Okay."
The sunset glow that day was particularly dazzling, stretching from the horizon to her feet, burning a fiery red. This red spread, climbing over the entire dream, filling her eyes.
Lin Feiran suddenly opened her eyes, and the character "静" (quiet) embroidered on the top of the bed curtains was etched into her gaze.
When people can always maintain a state of tranquility, the world will return to its natural order.
These are the characters on every disciple's account book, written by Zhang Chunhe himself, and then embroidered by a skilled embroiderer, with perfect accuracy.
She stared for a very long time, until the images churning in her mind finally subsided, before slowly getting up, taking her sword, pushing open the door, and walking out.
Outside the gate, all was silent. No one was guarding it, and no one was passing by. The world was a vast expanse of white, with only the distant pine mountains standing silently watching.
Lin Feiran stepped onto the railing under the corridor, formed hand seals, and leaped out using the Divine Speed Technique.
At this moment, she had no other thoughts but to leave Sanqing Mountain.
She didn't want her bones to be cut out, didn't want to become a real cripple, and didn't want to die on the mountain. Right now, the only chance to leave was to take advantage of a moment when no one was looking.
"Slow down!"
Wei Chang caught a glimpse of her out of the corner of his eye, his pupils contracted slightly, thinking that she was too deeply under the spell and her mind was not clear at the moment, so he immediately formed a hand seal and followed her. Tai Hui reacted and followed closely behind.
Lin Feiran had excellent movement skills, but he knew that his spiritual power was insufficient. There was also a mountain-guarding formation at the mountain gate, so he could only rush towards the edge of the cliff.
Below the cliff, the rocks are jagged, the trees are lush, and there is a swift current. If she falls down, she is confident she can escape, but if they catch her now, she will only face death!
Hearing the shouts behind her, she quickened her pace, but when she was about a hundred meters from the edge of the cliff, she was suddenly stopped by a powerful formation. Walls of runes joined together, trapping her inside.
This is the Taihui Mountain Chess Wood Rabbit Formation. The runes are disassembled and intersected. Once the Rabbit is locked, there is no possibility of breaking it.
Without the slightest hesitation, Lin Feiran immediately drew her sword and slashed.
Seeing that the person was trapped, Taihui breathed a long sigh of relief. If something had really happened to her, how would he explain it to the chief?
After landing, he strode forward and carefully examined her eyes. They were not red, nor did they show any signs of being possessed. Only then did he ask, "Feiran, what are you doing?"
Lin Feiran did not answer, his eyes fixed intently on the formation before him.
This mortise and tenon joint is like a complex Luban lock. The horizontal and vertical lines in the runes are like interlocking diagonal pillars. As long as you find the lock tongue before it is completely closed, you can break it in one fell swoop.
Taihui looked at her, a surge of annoyance rising in his heart. He had just run into a wall with Consort Wei regarding the sword bone, and he would have to report back to the Chief afterward. All the matters were piling up at once, and now he also had to take care of Lin Feiran. He was really tired.
"Feiran, we already know about what happened in the cave last time. That Qiu Tong has only been a disciple for two months. How can she compare to you and Changzai, who have known each other for ten years? Why bother with her?"
That's what he said, but Taihui's eyes were fixed on her. Seeing that she didn't say a word, he couldn't help but think more.
If the master is possessed by a nightmare, can the sword bone still be used?
“Feiran, look up again. I want to see if your mind is clear. This is not a small matter.”
The cold, snowy night was filled only with the sound of the wind; no one answered.
The refined iron clashed with the magic array, sparking bursts of light, like starlight suddenly illuminating the night before vanishing in an instant—dreamy yet chilling.
"I'm leaving Sanqing Mountain."
Lin Feiran spoke, her voice a little hoarse, her eyes still red, as if the lingering heat of a burning dream scene remained.
Taihui rubbed his forehead: "Feiran, we didn't object to your wanting to annul the engagement, and we can also get rid of Qiutong if you want. Whatever you do, we will always support you. But is Qiutong really worth leaving the home you grew up in?"
"You're lying!" Lin Feiran's voice rose, but sounded even more hoarse. "What family? You clearly only want my spirit bones!"
Lin Feiran's long sword continued to strike, and a burst of spiritual light rippled through it, causing a slight pain in her arm.
What hurt her most was not Wei Changzai's change of heart, but that he conspired with these so-called relatives to deceive her. They raised her, but treated her like a pig or a dog, ready to be eaten at any time.
If she refuses to offer up her flesh and blood, the swords that seem to be protecting her will immediately turn their blades and come at her.
"Who said that?!" Taihui's eyes widened. "If anyone dares to take your sword bone, this old man will be the first to object!"
The longsword suddenly slashed down, and Lin Feiran turned to look at Tai Hui, her eyes red: "Isn't this what you want? Do you want me to repeat it word by word?"
"First, use the essence of gold to sharpen the blade, then use the golden dagger dipped in the juice of the rootless grass to break open my spiritual meridians. Finally, use a high-level spell to pry open the white bone with a small pickaxe, and then pick out the tiny sword bones attached to it. Is there a single word wrong?!"
Therefore, once the bone is removed, she will never be able to cultivate again, never be able to wield a sword again, and perhaps even walk again.
Taihui was startled upon hearing this and couldn't help but wonder who had leaked the information. He glanced sideways at Consort Wei.
Wei Changzai stood quietly not far away, with a light snow on his shoulders. His dark eyes reflected the spark, sometimes bright and sometimes dim, making it impossible to discern his expression.
Taihui's eyes turned slightly cold, but his words were full of anxiety: "Feiran, who spread this rumor? I've watched you grow up since you were a child, how could I bear to cut your bones!"
Lin Feiran ignored him and suddenly slashed down with his sword. The lock tongue broke open, and the shattered runes scattered like exploding sparks in the snow, glowing with embers.
Taihui was slightly startled. Just moments ago, he had looked heartbroken, but now he unhesitatingly lashed out a spiritual whip to block her path.
The sound of the whip breaking the wind was like a sudden, muffled thunderclap.
Without pausing for a moment, Lin Feiran ducked to avoid the attack, her sword nimbly slicing through the snow, then she pinned the whip's end firmly to the ground before abandoning the sword and continuing on her way.
Taihui drew his sword and charged forward, the cold light approaching, a chill spreading throughout his body. Lin Feiran instinctively dodged to the left, but was still forced to tumble into the snow by the sword light.
The sword light was about to strike, but it was blocked halfway through.
Wei Changzai stood with his sword in hand, facing Taihui, his voice colder than the snow: "Uncle-Master, using the sword is enough."
The commotion attracted many disciples to watch from a distance, but none dared to approach rashly; they could only crane their necks and peer around.
Wei Changzai looked at Lin Feiran, and when his eyes met her slightly reddened gaze, his usually cold and aloof face remained expressionless.
He said, "Don't you want that shimmering sword anymore?"
He was referring to the snow-white longsword with the whip attached to it.
This was a sword that Wei Chang found and gave to her from Xiaogushan. Its blade was sharp and bright, and when it was wielded, it was like shimmering waves. The blade was two inches longer than an ordinary sword because Lin Feiran used more force when wielding a sword than the average person, and the long sword was more suitable for her.
This was also her sword, which she had carried with her for many years, but now she stood alone in the wind and snow, several meters away from Lin Feiran.
"Yes, I don't want it anymore."
Lin Feiran slowly stood up, looked at him, and asked again, "Are you going to stop me?"
He answered just as readily as she did: "Yes."
Lin Feiran conjured a sword of energy with a hand seal, and said with certainty, "You already knew about the sword bone."
"Yes, I knew from the beginning." His voice remained cold and clear, just like the wind and snow. "So what? I won't take your sword bones. Without them, I can still ascend the Great Dao and achieve the unity of heaven and man."
He looked at her quietly, his dark eyes as clear and cold as water-washed jade: "Master is coming. You can't escape. I won't take your sword bone. Come back with me."
It was like the first time we met at the general's mansion, like the first time we were rescued from the jaws of a monster, like the first time we challenged each other to a duel on the mountaintop.
He was always like this, with a calm face and empty eyes, like an ice sculpture doll with little emotion, much like the Dao Ancestor of Daohe Palace, with a sense of ruthlessness, desirelessness, and egolessness.
Why did she initially think that Wei Changzai liked her? A question suddenly popped into Lin Feiran's mind.
“Come back with me, I won’t take your sword bone.”
He emphasized this for the third time, but Lin Feiran had no idea who he was talking to.
It couldn't be her, because she wouldn't believe anymore.
She stood with her sword in hand, her slightly dry lips parting slightly: "If you want to stop me, then let your sword do the talking. If you don't draw your sword, then get lost."
Seemingly surprised by her words, Wei Changzai paused for a moment before saying, "Master hasn't arrived yet, there's still hope."
Lin Feiran thrust out his sword, the chilling aura grazing his cheek and leaving a cut. Fine beads of blood seeped out, a few drops blooming red on the snow.
"I said, get out."
Wei Changzai stared at the few drops of blood, blinked, and suddenly felt that it looked a lot like the red plum blossom she had been searching for.
Lin Feiran dared not linger. After slapping him away, she still wanted to rush down the cliff, but unsurprisingly, Tai Hui blocked her way.
The old man no longer possessed his previous kind smile and intimidating air of otherworldly wisdom; instead, his face carried an irritability and indifference that Lin Feiran had never seen before.
He stopped pretending and didn't even bother to hide it.
Lin Feiran looked at his fellow disciples watching from afar, then at the other elders who had arrived, and then at Taihui. Recalling what had happened yesterday, he didn't know whether to feel joy or sorrow, or perhaps he felt it was all absurd. He couldn't help but laugh a few times, and then he gripped the Qi sword in his hand tightly.
The sword of energy flipped, slicing through the falling snowflakes. Her left hand formed hand seals with incredible speed, and in an instant, lightning flashed, startling the disciples in the distance who took several steps back.
"I'm leaving today, and none of you can stop me!"
A note from the author:
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