Chapter 65 (The Broken String)
"Go and meet them during the day." Qingjue sent a teleportation talisman.
With a nod, he vanished from sight.
Qingjue didn't have time to think about anything. What he feared was that it would be another incident like the Yun family's. Apart from Ruan Linglai, the Ruan family consisted entirely of ordinary people who were powerless. If there was a serious plot-related tragedy, it would probably be even more serious than the Yun family's.
Qingjue appeared in front of Ruan Linglai instantly, just like countless times when they were children.
But this time, it wasn't a little girl crying in fear behind him.
Ruan Linglai held a blood-stained longsword, and there was also some blood on her cheek, but it was clear that it was not her own.
"Master," she said, still somewhat delighted, "you arrived so quickly?"
"For your safety..." Qingjue saw a mess before her eyes and asked, "But what happened here?"
The story goes back to before I went home.
Ruan Linglai hadn't returned home for three years, following Qing Jue into seclusion for cultivation. While her cultivation greatly increased, she also accumulated a deep longing for her family.
Although the 20-year-old girl was no longer the naive child she once was, she had been well protected by Qingjue.
At least in most people's eyes, she is still an innocent and carefree young girl.
His family, in particular, were worried that he might encounter a bottleneck during his three years of seclusion, or suffer some injustice while gaining experience outside.
I learned of her fracture the last time we met, and I was heartbroken. Knowing that my daughter was coming back today, the head of the Ruan family threw a huge banquet, an extravagant affair. I wonder who was getting married.
Ruan Linglai pushed open the door and entered. The first thing she saw was a scholarly-looking man with an extraordinary temperament. She lifted her skirt and ran over to him, leaping into his arms.
"elder brother!"
Ruan Lingze caught his younger sister steadily and asked her with a smile, "I was worried that you wouldn't eat well while cultivating with the Immortal Lord, but it seems you've gained a little weight?"
"Hey bro, why do you always bring up the most awkward things as soon as we meet?"
Although Qingjue himself had dietary restrictions, he couldn't bear to see his disciples suffer along with him, so the Qing family's meals were quite good under his special care.
Ruan Lingze was just teasing her. Instead of getting thinner, her younger sister's physique was getting stronger, which was certainly a good thing.
I had heard the Immortal Lord praise Ruan Linglai before, saying that she was the strongest in physical skills among them. As a woman, she was physiologically different from men. To be praised by the Immortal Lord like this, Ruan Linglai must have paid off with more than just her talent.
Ruan Lingze knows his younger sister best. Although she seems weak and prone to crying, she is actually resilient and brave, and once she sets her mind on something, she will definitely do it.
Ruan Lingze patted her on the back of the head, just like he did when she was a child, and said, "Your parents are waiting for you in the inner room. We've prepared a special gift for you."
Ruan Linglai, however, became curious and asked, "A gift?"
You'll find out when the time comes.
The family was reunited and had a rare chance to catch up. The head of the Ruan family was on the verge of tears, but he managed to hold them back in order to save face in front of the servants.
“Our Linglai was just a little girl, but she’s grown into a beautiful young lady. Wow, wow!” The head of the Ruan family said in an exaggerated tone, “That’s wonderful. We don’t have enough clothes to wear. We must tell Father.”
“Master gave us a lot of beautiful clothes, Dad, you don’t need to worry. Besides, even the most beautiful clothes will get dirty when fighting, especially since I’m naturally active. These sword-sleeved trousers suit me better! But I do have time to dress up when I’m not on a mission, so don’t worry.”
Ruan Lingze laughed and said, "Yes, yes, our little sister is already a famous heroine. She is a disciple of Immortal Lord Wuqing. Who doesn't know her?"
Madam Ruan said, "Alright, alright, stop standing here chatting. Let's eat first. I've prepared a special dish for you today, all your favorites."
Wow! That's great!
Ruan Zhumu: "Oh dear, it's a pity that the Immortal Lord and your fellow disciples didn't come. Why don't you invite them all next time?"
Ruan Linglai was given a large chicken leg, took a bite, and said, "Master has other things to do, and the other senior brothers and junior brothers also need to go out and have some fun. I'll call them next time."
For members of the immortal sects, the destruction of their families and the death of their loved ones is not uncommon.
During this time, the family also heard more or less about the fellow disciples who were showing off their unique skills, including the fact that almost all of them no longer had parents.
Having met them a few times, they are indeed all handsome and talented.
Hearing that they all took good care of Ruan Linglai, Madam Ruan couldn't help but inquire about her daughter's marriage: "It's been so long since we last met. They were all handsome young men before. I wonder what they look like now, Linglai, tell me?"
"My fellow disciples are all very good-looking, and so is Master. They are all beautiful."
"Do you have someone you're relatively close to, someone you get along with well, or someone who's good to you?"
"We know each other very well."
"Oh dear, what I mean is, do you have someone you particularly like?"
"..." Ruan Linglai understood and immediately dropped the chicken leg in her mouth, her fear revealing a hint of disbelief: "Mother, what are you saying!"
She said, "Who would have those kinds of thoughts about brothers they grew up with!"
Miscalculation, miscalculation.
Madam Ruan sighed and rubbed her forehead. From a young age, this girl was spoiled and pampered, a proper young lady. If she hadn't met Qing Jue, she would have just been a well-bred young lady. Later, after becoming Qing Jue's apprentice, she devoted herself to cultivation.
It seems like she's closed herself off from love.
However... Madam Ruan then saw her daughter looking radiant and full of energy, and thought, "So be it, if she doesn't want to marry, she doesn't want to marry. If she does, she'll miss her."
After eating and drinking her fill, Ruan Linglai couldn't help but complain that the feast her father had prepared was too extravagant; how could a family possibly finish it all?
The head of the Ruan family originally planned to host a banquet for guests, but after thinking about it, he decided that since it was his daughter returning home, it would be better for the family to eat together, so he would not invite any outsiders.
Ruan Linglai lamented that her father hadn't changed at all over the years, and even seemed more reckless than when he plunged headfirst into Shuiyun Lake.
But she was even more curious about what her gift would be.
"Want to know?" The head of the Ruan family seemed very confident about the gift. He stroked his chin and said with a smile, "Come on, let's present this treasure to my daughter."
On the expensive tea table in the inner room sat a long wooden box.
The wooden box has exquisite relief carvings and uses high-quality materials; it must have taken a lot of thought and money to make just this box.
“Through occasional correspondence over these three years, we have always kept you in our thoughts,” said the head of the Ruan family, with his hands behind his back. “Thinking that my daughter’s cultivation would have greatly increased when she emerged from seclusion, we spent three years sending people to make this item.”
Upon opening the box, the contents lying quietly inside made Ruan Linglai's eyes widen.
"As the Immortal Lord mentioned before, he hasn't found a suitable sword to bestow upon you yet. My dear daughter, come and take a look, do you like it?"
The long sword gleamed with silver light, and the scabbard was decorated with reliefs of a guqin and the sound of strings. She had practiced the guqin for a while when she was a child, but had never touched it again after she started practicing martial arts.
Ruan Linglai did not dislike practicing the zither; in fact, she did enjoy it. However, she preferred martial arts to practicing the zither.
Punishing the wicked and eliminating evil, always stepping forward in times of chaos—this was her lifelong pursuit.
However, her family did not forget her childhood hobby. Even though she had not touched the guqin for many years and could no longer play it, the head of the Ruan family still made a special mention of it when the sword was being made.
This is definitely a top-grade sword in the cultivation world, and its material is even comparable to Qingjue's Wuliqing. It is evident how much effort they put into making this sword.
"This item is named 'Jue Xian' (绝弦), which was given to it by your brother. If my dear daughter doesn't like it, she can change the name herself."
Ruan Linglai shook her head happily, her eyes welling up with tears as she thought of what had just happened: "I like it, thank you, Mom and Dad, thank you, brother, I like it so much! I'm really, really... happy."
She was almost incoherent. When she held the sword, she could feel a deep resonance. Indeed, it was more comfortable to use than any other good sword she had ever used before.
This sword is not just a sword; it also embodies the blessings and love her family has for her. This is the sword that Qingjue is looking for, the one that is truly suitable for her.
Ruan Linglai was overjoyed. She had many new family members and received so much love from her original family. This was truly the happiest moment of her life...
Before she could even warm the sword, she keenly sensed a murderous spiritual force approaching.
Ruan Linglai became alert instantly.
"Father, Mother, Brother, someone's coming. I sense something's wrong. You take them with you, and the rest of you, hide in the inner room."
After all, this is broad daylight, under the clear sky, and it's Qing family territory. Who would dare to invade?
But even if there really are such blind people.
Ruan Linglai drew her broken string and stood in a standard, upright posture.
Naturally, water will be contained by earth, and even gods will be slain if they stand in your way.
So, as soon as she got her hands on the sword, she had a suitable opportunity to consecrate it.
Before Qingjue lay a scene of utter devastation, but none of the bodies belonged to the Ruan family.
They were invaders; their clothes didn't look very nice, and they seemed to be bandits.
They probably came to rob us. The Ruan family is the richest family in Quanzhou and Zhangzhou, and their daughter, who knows martial arts, happens to be in seclusion. It is indeed a good opportunity to make a move.
Unfortunately, it happened to coincide with the day Ruan Linglai was returning home.
However, Qingjue had been keeping a close eye on external developments for the past three years, and even if they picked a good day, they wouldn't succeed.
"Well done, and the sword is indeed a fine sword. It seems you have found the one that suits you best. What about the rest of the Ruan family?"
Ruan Linglai replied, "Reporting to Master, they are all inside the room, and I have protected them with a barrier."
“Very good, handled cleanly and efficiently,” Qingjue said as he approached and examined one of the bodies. “They didn’t have any identification on them. How many are left?”
"Some of them ran away earlier, and we haven't had time to catch them yet. There are probably more than a dozen people outside the Ruan family's gate right now?"
“Alright,” Qingjue said, opening his fan. “Then you and I, master and disciple, will teach them which places they can enter and which places they cannot.”
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