Chapter 26 A Sudden Night Wind Rises
"Let's go, let's light the lamps first."
Guan Yue's furrowed brows finally relaxed, and he eagerly took out a tinderbox from his bosom.
On the shore of Penghua Lake, people holding lanterns crowded together, all eager to catch a glimpse of the martial arts masters inside the building.
He patted Bian Yi and Lin Chengye on the shoulder, but unexpectedly the former dodged and waved his hand.
“When did I say I was going to light the lamps? You and Yan Zhou go, I also want to take Cheng Ye on the boat.”
"It's not too late to board the boat after the lanterns are lit. There aren't many people who can climb to the ninth floor. Lighting the lanterns requires a very high level of lightness skill, and even I can only barely manage it. Moreover, there are twelve red silks on this Mantao Tower, each with twelve lanterns hanging on it. If we want to light them at the same time, all twelve of us must do it together. Without you, it will be difficult to complete this opening ceremony."
Fang Yanzhou suddenly blinked, as if he had remembered something, and smiled mischievously.
“Cheng Ye, you don’t know this yet, do you? Bian Yi also came to this Penghua City Flower Festival when she was sixteen years old. She lit two red ribbons and twenty-four lanterns all by herself. She was the most eye-catching young hero that year, but unfortunately, she didn’t like to leave her name…”
"Oh dear! Stop talking about it! That happened so many years ago!"
Bian Yi suddenly seemed to be burned, and jumped to Lin Chengze's side in a few steps, haphazardly pulling up Lin Chengye's wide sleeve to cover her face, leaving only her reddened ear tips visible.
"You can be this flamboyant? I thought you always disliked trouble and would avoid it whenever possible."
Lin Chengye found it intriguing and deliberately asked another question.
"Then why not leave your name?"
"How can you be like this too!"
Bian Yi screamed in despair, pulled himself out of his sleeve, and stammered an explanation.
"I just thought it was so cool... Back then, I thought things like the Cloud Cliff Yitian Manual were boring, and I wanted to be a reclusive master..."
Bian Yi's voice grew softer and softer until he finally closed his eyes and said nothing more, looking utterly despondent. Guan Yue, standing to the side, was already doubled over with laughter, managing to laugh until two tears streamed down his face.
"Haha... Bian Yi, you've finally met your match. I always said there are always people better than you, at least someone can keep you in check."
"...Twelve is a good number. Twelve two-hour periods, twelve months, twelve Heavenly Stems, twelve zodiac animals... As time goes by, spring goes and winter comes, but it never goes beyond the number twelve."
After reading this, Bian Yi gritted her teeth and was about to rush forward to attack Vietnam when Lin Chengye quickly spoke up.
"So this lantern is very important. Although it's just for good luck, all the people hope that this lantern will continue as always. If the lantern is lit, everything will go smoothly. That's the idea. There's no rush to get on the boat. We can pick me up later."
"That……"
Bian Yi hesitated for a moment before speaking.
"Then wait a bit longer. If we really can't gather twelve people, then I'll go."
"good!"
"You can't go back on your word."
Guan Yuenan and Fang Yanzhou smiled at each other, then held hands, lifted the light gauze curtain, and stepped out of the window. Their light blue robes fluttered, a tinderbox was lit, and they looked like fire-wielding immortals descending into the night.
Sparks flew, and in an instant, the crowd erupted in cheers. Lin Chengye could still hear the waves of applause echoing in his ears.
As the two stepped out, several other figures also leaped up from other rooms on the ninth floor, tacitly lighting the tinder in their arms and descending along the red silk.
"One, two, eleven... Am I one short?"
As Bian Yi counted the lanterns that had begun to light up, she sadly realized that one was indeed missing, but she was still unwilling to give up and wanted to count a second time.
"There are indeed eleven, so hurry back."
Lin Chengye quickly pressed down Bian Yi's raised finger. Seeing that the others were about to light their second lamp, if they continued to dawdle, they might not be able to light all 144 lamps together, which would ruin the good fortune.
"Let's go together."
Bian Yi suddenly grabbed Lin Chengze's hand through his sleeve, her eyes crinkling into a smile.
Just then, fireworks burst outside the window, illuminating the scene like daylight, and the two saw each other's reflections in each other's eyes.
Lin Chengye gripped Bian Yi tightly, and the two of them soared into the air once more, like an old man strolling leisurely through the night wind to find the only red ribbon that was still not lit.
The others had already lit nearly five lanterns, almost reaching halfway up the red silk. Bian Yi wasn't in a hurry; he took a tinderbox and handed it to Lin Chengye, smiling as he spoke.
"I would be grateful if you could help me, Young Hero Lin."
"Making patients do work, you gangsters are truly treacherous."
Lin Chengye raised an eyebrow, but still carefully approached the candle wick. When the lantern suddenly lit up and reflected the peony pattern, her heart skipped a beat.
"Yes, yes, people in the martial world can be wicked. Does Young Hero Lin regret entering the martial world?"
Lin Chengye didn't reply to Bian Yi's teasing, but just smiled and looked down. She briefly abandoned everything she carried, and just watched as the twelve lamps lit up in her hands.
She was just like the chivalrous person she had imagined when she was seven years old, with close friends by her side and a sincere heart in her chest.
The two landed even faster than the others. Lin Chengye looked back and saw that Penghua Lake was already as bright as day, with red silk and candles illuminating the scene, even more lively than the New Year's Eve celebrations. Some people wanted to thank them, and some girls even wanted to jokingly put a peony wreath they had woven on Lin Chengye's head.
Seeing that things were not going well, Bian Yi grabbed Lin Chengye and slipped into the vast lake, disappearing in a few steps.
...
After the banquet begins, the people enjoy themselves together, boating on the lake. It's the perfect time for lovers to express their feelings, for close friends to share drinks, and for families to reunite. It's said that the festivities continue until late into the night.
"Boating on Penghua Lake is also quite interesting."
Lin Chengye sighed, clutching the hand warmer in his arms. A cool breeze, carrying damp steam, blew gently. The earlier commotion gradually subsided, finally leaving the night to the people.
"If you like it, that's good. When I was young, I only cared about lighting lanterns and never participated in boating on the lake. Now I think it's a real pity. This is much more interesting than lighting lanterns."
Bian Yi held a long bamboo pole at the bow of the boat, occasionally paddling it to break the calm surface of the lake.
"Stop messing around, just let the boat drift on its own."
Lin Chengye suddenly lay down and patted the hull beneath him.
"Alright."
Bian Yi tossed aside the bamboo pole and casually lay down on Lin Chengye's sleeve.
The small boat glided across the lake, and the two of them looked up quietly at the stars hanging in the night sky for a while.
Lin Chengye suddenly turned his head and spoke.
"Don't you want them to know what we're going to do?"
“I don’t want them to worry anymore. The two of them are now happy and carefree, and they have two powerful sects backing them up. There’s no need for them to worry about anything else.”
Bian Yi turned over to face Lin Chengye.
When it was just the two of them, Bian Yi's words became unusually detailed, she added.
"Not many people know that I come from Qingluan Medicine Valley. Only Yan Zhou, Vietnam, and another good friend at the time, A Sui, are aware of this. However, A Sui suddenly left without saying goodbye one day, and I was angry for a long time."
Then suddenly something happened at Qingluan Medicine Valley. Ah Sui and I were in no better shape; we rushed back, but it was too late. The two of them were worried and searched for me year after year.
"No wonder you've been working as a traveling doctor all this time. I thought you were happy to do it. Turns out you were hiding from people."
Lin Chengye smiled.
"right."
Bian Yi touched her eyelids sheepishly.
"So many things happened afterward, and I couldn't keep my promise to venture out into the world together back then, so I've always felt guilty..."
Suddenly, Bian Yi sighed and waved his hand.
"Oh, let's not talk about that."
"Let's talk about something else then."
Lin Chengye pinched the bridge of his nose and said slowly.
"You know Wei Jingchen? Your attitude was strange when you met her."
"Hmm... not really. But I've been looking for her for a very, very long time."
Bian Yi looked into Lin Chengye's eyes. The boy's dark eyes were so clear that they reflected the entire Penghua Lake.
She sighed and said, word by word.
"She is my master's child."
Lin Chengye's pupils suddenly contracted, and she gasped in astonishment. But quickly, she calmed down in the night breeze, and the vague feelings of unease that had been there before suddenly became clear.
"Your master? Wait...you mean, His Majesty..."
"Yes. My master, Chen Shuli, the last master of Qingluan Medicine Valley, had a secret affair with His Majesty when he was still Prince Yi. Wei Jingchen looks very much like my master, very much like him, except that his eyes are like His Majesty's."
"ah……"
Lin Chengye pinched the bridge of his nose, suddenly finding it utterly absurd. If that were the case, it would explain why Wei Jingchen had been ignored for so many years, like a ghost. For the imperial family, giving Wei Jingchen a legitimate status was already a favor; it was probably absolutely impossible for him to rightfully inherit the throne.
However, it seemed that the person didn't intend to inherit the throne legitimately. Lin Chengye suddenly realized the ultimate purpose of Wei Jingchen's conversation with her that day.
She also suspected that the destruction of the Lin family was related to His Majesty, which is why she approached her to test whether she was intelligent and could be used by him.
Ultimately, it's because the two share the same goal.
"I see."
Lin Chengye sighed.
“My mother did indeed say that she traveled the world with His Majesty, probably more than thirty years ago, in the thirty-ninth year of Zhenping. Since you call my mother your senior sister, His Majesty must also be your senior brother. I guess that they probably had an affair back then.”
Later, the Azure Phoenix Valley was destroyed, almost entirely wiped out, with only His Majesty surviving. Therefore, you've always believed that His Majesty is involved, but… at that time, Wei Jingchen was missing, and it's very likely that His Majesty took him away. But as long as this possibility exists, it's a threat to you, and you cannot rashly rush into the imperial city.”
"You...how could you..."
Bian Yi was stunned for a long time, not understanding how Lin Chengye could guess so accurately in such a short time. At that time, she had the intention to directly storm into the capital to find out the truth. After a long while, she gave a soft "hmm" with some disappointment.
"Ah, you're right. Another reason is that the half-immortal Qin Ruoliu is also on His Majesty's side. The current secretive Huanyu Incident was orchestrated by her, His Majesty, and the Eldest Princess. Although Qin Ruoliu is insane, she is still a half-immortal, and I cannot defeat her."
And I am indeed dull-witted, having lived a mediocre life for twenty-one years without knowing what I've been doing, only able to grasp at these guesses.
Suddenly, Bian Yi gently closed her eyes, resting her head on Lin Chengye's sleeve, and let out a long sigh of relief, her brows relaxing.
“Chengye, now I’ve found my only concern. Since Wei Jingchen has grown up safely, I don’t need to worry about anything anymore. You don’t need to worry about anything either. As long as you want it, I will do it.”
The small boat rocked gently, rippling the lake's surface. In this vast world, how fortunate to have such a kindred spirit. Lin Chengye didn't speak, but simply patted Bian Yi's back lightly.
"No rush, there's still a lot to do..."
Before Lin Chengye could finish speaking, Bian Yi suddenly opened her eyes, grabbed her wrist, flipped over, and pulled Lin Chengye behind her.
"how……"
Lin Chengye was puzzled by this sudden change. He noticed that Bian Yi was like a frightened bird, his back straight and his brows tightly furrowed.
An unfathomable spring breeze and gentle rain enveloped the two of them, like a tangible dampness, and their normally mild inner strength was tainted with an undeniable killing intent.
What exactly happened?
Lin Chengye's heart tightened as well. He scanned every corner with his eyes, but found nothing unusual. The lake remained unchanged, the people were still immersed in the joy of the flower festival, and the fallen petals in the sky were still gentle.
"...Someone is coming."
Bian Yi pursed her lips and slowly gripped the hilt of the sword at her waist.
"Who goes there? We're leaving right now!"
Who could make Bian Yi so nervous? Lin Chengye frowned.
"It's too late!" Bian Yi chuckled softly, then turned and shoved Lin Chengye with a palm, injecting a gentle, spring-like warmth.
In an instant, the Dust-Slaying Sword appeared, its blade formed from countless silver threads, as thin as a cicada's wing. Bian Yi stood holding the sword, a cold glint flashing in his eyes.
Lin Chengye staggered back a few steps, when suddenly a hand landed on her shoulder. Fang Yanzhou, who had appeared out of nowhere, lifted her into the air and pulled her back to the shore. Her face was also extremely pale, so gloomy it seemed to drip water, and she was already gripping a long, cyan sword in her hand.
Suddenly, without warning, the calm water was torn apart, as if three sharp claws of wild beasts remained on the surface, stirring up waves several meters high. A chilling killing intent mixed with the surging killing move caused the fallen petals to tremble and drift.
Bian Yi stepped back and swung his sword forward with a clean, decisive motion, like a crescent moon colliding with the killing move. For a moment, the air seemed to distort, emitting a sharp, explosive sound.
"You have dared to set foot on the land of my Southern Qi..."
Before anyone could be seen, a deep, aged voice rang out, seemingly coming from all directions. It made Lin Chengye's scalp tingle, and her chest felt as if it were being heavily pounded and repeatedly crushed. Her expression changed, and a sweet, metallic taste rose in her throat.
Bian Yi's expression hardened, he pointed his sword forward and said in a deep voice.
"...Chu Wuding."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
