Chapter 17 Let her go
The next morning, Bai Hua woke up.
She raised her hand and gently placed it on her forehead. Instead of opening her eyes immediately, she rubbed her temples with her fingertips to relieve her headache.
Her memory was cut short amidst the clinking of glasses at the banquet. The last image she remembered was being pulled into drinking by two generous and forthright sisters-in-law from Green Ivy Village. Unable to refuse their hospitality, and unwilling to spoil the festive occasion, she had no choice but to keep them company and drink a few more cups.
What happened next...
She frowned slightly, trying hard to recall, but her memory was hazy and unclear. The only thing she vaguely remembered was that on the way back, the young master seemed to have carried her all the way to the bamboo house.
The image of the embrace appears both real and unreal, but it likely did happen.
Bai Hua awkwardly raised her hand to touch her cheek, feeling a slight heat and embarrassment. Realizing something, she immediately looked down to check her clothes, her hands instinctively covering her neckline. Finding that only her outer garment and shoes and socks were off, everything else was normal, she breathed a sigh of relief.
Actually, she shouldn't have had this suspicion.
Having spent nearly half a month with Ning Jue, she felt that she had come to know his true nature and realized that he was not the frivolous man who lusts after women as her cousin had said. On the contrary, he was proud and arrogant, and ordinary people could hardly catch his eye. How could such a lone swordsman, who was so aloof and unyielding, deign to take advantage of others in distress?
I don't know how my cousin obtained the information, as it differs so much from the truth.
Gathering her thoughts, Bai Hua looked up at the doorway. The two wooden doors were tightly shut, and there was no sound from outside the main room.
Ning Jue is probably not here, she guessed.
Bai Hua got up, changed her clothes, took a quick shower in the bathroom, sat back down in front of the mirror, combed all her long black hair to one side, divided it into three sections, braided them, and draped them over her shoulder, looking very neat and tidy.
It would be even better if she had some brightly colored velvet flowers to decorate her braided hair, but unfortunately the table was empty except for a wooden hairpin that she had been using recently.
Ning Jue gave her a dress, changing her dressing habits back to what they used to be, which unexpectedly made her dissatisfied.
Bai Hua secretly annoyed herself, shook her head, obediently picked up the wooden hairpin and stuck it in her hair, then got up and went out.
On the dining table in the main room was a bamboo woven cover. Bai Hua hadn't noticed it before, but now she was curious and lifted it up to look inside. She found a bowl of warm white porridge and a plate of leafy green vegetables.
Did the young master make this?
Bai Hua hesitated before sitting down, putting down the bamboo woven cloth in her hand. She thought to herself that perhaps the young master was hungry early in the morning and kindly did not force her to get up, so he made the food himself and left an extra portion for her.
She picked up the bowl and chopsticks and tasted it; the flavor was really... extremely bland.
Fortunately, there was sugar in the congee, so it tasted sweet. Otherwise, eating just that plate of dry, bland bok choy would have been really tasteless. By the way, the congee wasn't without its problems either. Sometimes it was fine, but other times... there were hard grains of rice that almost broke my teeth.
Bai Hua sighed, secretly evaluating the young master's cooking skills as failing.
It's hard to give him a break out of friendship.
After finishing the meal and clearing the table, Ning Jue was still nowhere to be seen. He sometimes left without saying goodbye, but he would always come home on time around lunchtime.
But today was different. Bai Hua prepared lunch on time, and the bowls and chopsticks were already on the table, but Ning Jue was still nowhere to be seen.
Bai Hua's heart skipped a beat, and a faint unease rose within her.
She quickly covered the food, tore off the apron she was wearing, and hurried out to look for the person.
Bai Hua had walked this route from the bamboo house to the stone stream many times and knew it by heart. Fallen leaves covered the path, making a crunching sound under her feet. The bushes and miscellaneous trees on both sides of the mountain path were bare, their branches and trunks bare, no longer as sprawling as when she first came up the mountain. Although only half a month had passed since then, autumn was over, and the long-dormant winter was eager to make its appearance.
When they were almost at the vicinity of Shixi, about a hundred paces away, Bai Hua suddenly stopped and looked into the depths of the bushes on her left.
Accompanying the whistling wind was a barely perceptible whooshing sound of swords being swung.
She listened intently, making sure she hadn't misheard, and then stepped on the withered grass to the left.
The bushes blocked her view, seemingly concealing her completely, but in reality, the distance wasn't far. She hadn't walked far before she felt the open space before her. Behind layers of dappled tree shadows was a flat clearing, where a lithe white figure was wielding a sword with overwhelming momentum, the wind whipping around the shadows, the sharp edge of the sword fully revealed.
He stopped his moves as she approached.
Bai Hua didn't notice his abnormality. Seeing how steadily he held the sword in his right arm, she stepped forward and asked with concern, "Young master, have you fully recovered from your injuries? When will you be able to hold the sword steadily again?"
Ning Jue gripped the sword hilt tightly, the monstrous beast on it menacingly glaring at him. Upon seeing her approach, he maintained his dignified expression, turning his gaze away, his aura sharp and imposing.
Bai Hua sensed something; the swordsman Ning Jue wielding his weapon before her seemed to be a completely different person from the Ning Jue she spent every day with.
Seeing the look of surprise in her eyes, Ning Jue didn't answer but asked instead, "My recovery is something you should be happy about?"
Bai Hua nodded without hesitation: "Of course."
As soon as the words left her mouth, Bai Hua belatedly realized that she had put the cart before the horse, completely forgetting the task her cousin had given her, and was only concerned about Ning Jue's injuries, hoping that he would be alright.
She lowered her eyelashes to hide her frustration, a sense of confusion creeping into her heart—what was wrong with her? She couldn't bring herself to be cruel to Ning Jue, nor could she be loyal to her cousin.
Torn between two options, what should I do?
Ning Jue stared at her, remained silent for a moment, and then suddenly spoke: "We agreed before that I would let you practice swordsmanship once my injuries have healed. I happen to be in the mood today, so let's do it today. However, as for how much you will learn, I will not give you any instruction, depending on your talent."
Bai Hua was surprised by Ning Jue's sudden remark. Her heart pounded and her mind raced. But no matter what she considered, she couldn't give up this rare opportunity to spy on him.
They were destined to go their separate ways.
So she said gratefully, "Thank you for your guidance, young master. I will definitely observe carefully."
Ning Jue did not respond, walked away expressionlessly, stood ten steps away from her, and began to brandish his sword.
One move after another, one move after another, swords coming and going, rising and falling like dragons emerging from the sea, their attacks fierce and relentless. The silver sword traced crescent-shaped arcs as it rose, accompanied by sword flowers that twinkled like stars, dazzling Bai Hua. She dared not blink, her eyes fixed on the white figure with its flowing robes, slightly entranced.
After ten moves, Bai Hua could confirm that the sword techniques and moves Ning Jue used were indeed of the same origin as the Lone Goose Sword Style practiced by her cousin, with similarities reaching 80%.
The resemblance is striking; either they are fellow disciples, or one side maliciously spied on the other's privacy.
Could it be that Young Master Ning secretly practiced the Lone Goose Sword Style?
Who was the master he mentioned?
Bai Hua was filled with countless doubts. Looking at the extraordinary white-clad swordsman before her, she couldn't believe that such a cold and aloof person would commit such a despicable act.
She didn't know the reason or the truth behind it, but she felt that something was very strange, so she tried to stay calm and continued to watch.
Before coming to Xianyang Mountain, her cousin had shown her the secrets of the Lone Goose Sword Technique many times, asking her to compare and confirm Ning Jue's sword-wielding characteristics. However, from beginning to end, her cousin had only practiced thirty-nine moves.
She watched helplessly as Ning Jue's sword energy roared, each move aimed at thirty-nine, yet he showed no intention of stopping. Thirty-seven, thirty-eight, thirty-nine... forty!
forty! ?
Bai Hua's eyes widened in shock and disbelief.
My cousin once said that since the Sword Saint's unexpected death, the last forty forms of the Lone Goose Sword Style have been lost. The Guihong Sword Sect, thanks to the connection between Rong's grandfather and the Sword Saint, was fortunate enough to obtain the sword manual of the first thirty-nine forms, and thus made a name for themselves in the martial arts world.
But now, Bai Hua has witnessed firsthand that there are still people in this world who can use the last forty moves of the Gui Gu Hong Sword Style, which is naturally hard to believe.
She forced herself to remain calm and silently counted in her mind: forty-two, forty-three, forty-four, forty-five... until the forty-fifth move.
Ning Jue stopped his sword, moved with tremendous force in one step, then took a deep breath, sheathed his sword, and stared at her with a sharp gaze.
Bai Hua wanted to offer some praise, but under his intense gaze, her mind was in turmoil, and she couldn't utter a single word in response.
Ning Jue was the first to speak, asking, "Can you remember it?"
Bai Hua shook her head and replied, "Young Master's sword intent is swift. I have no martial arts background and have already exhausted my skills after only remembering the first few moves."
This is true, but she didn't start memorizing from the first move, but from the fortieth move.
Therefore, from forty to forty-five, she calmed her mind, silently memorized the material, and it was not difficult for her.
She calmed herself down and asked to confirm, "Is the complete sword technique you've learned forty-five moves? Each move is exquisite and flexible."
This was a test.
Ning Jue looked at her and replied calmly, "That's enough."
This isn't a direct answer, but it likely means yes.
Bai Hua successfully spied on Ning Jue's sword techniques and moves, and secretly memorized them, thus completing the infiltration mission assigned by her cousin. However, at this moment, she did not feel relieved or relaxed; instead, she felt uneasy and had a bad feeling.
She lowered her eyes in thought, her mind in turmoil, unable to articulate her thoughts clearly.
At this moment, Ning Jue suddenly raised the hilt of his sword, pointing it directly at her. The tip of the sword was already sheathed, but even so, Bai Hua was still forced back halfway by his attack, her steps unsteady and her body unstable.
She stared in surprise, her eyes wide, her heart pounding.
Ning Jue's gaze was somewhat sharp as he looked at her. The tip of the sword sheath grazed her earlobe and plunged straight into her hair.
With a clatter, something fell to the ground.
Bai Hua's eyelashes trembled, and out of the corner of her eye, she saw that the wooden hairpin in her hair had fallen to the ground.
Ning Jue sheathed his sword, squatted down to pick up the wooden hairpin, played with it in his hand, and then spoke, the topic of conversation changing abruptly: "This wooden hairpin is too plain, let's change it."
Bai Hua simply couldn't keep up with his train of thought. Her heart was still pounding, and she was too intimidated to raise her voice, so she spoke in a muffled, unclear voice.
"What?"
Ning Jue turned and left, his words concise: "Get ready to go down the mountain, I'll take you to buy a good one again."
Bai Hua stood there, stunned, watching his receding figure. She had never felt that the distance between them was so great.
...
Everything was going too smoothly.
She had only just learned Ning Jue's sword techniques and skills, and less than an hour later, she successfully descended the mountain and appeared with Ning Jue on the most bustling main street in Jiling City.
My cousin's men should be keeping a close watch on the movements of Xianyang Mountain. They should be on high alert when they see them coming down the mountain. Perhaps at this moment, the disciples of Guihong Sword Hall are lurking not far from them, watching their every move.
As the situation spiraled out of control, Bai Hua realized, without any warning, that today was the best time to leave Ning Jue.
The mission was complete, and the two left Xianyang Mountain. If they didn't hurry up and escape, they probably wouldn't find a suitable opportunity again anytime soon.
She ultimately belongs to the people at the foot of the mountain.
With this in mind, Bai Hua made a difficult decision.
She didn't have to rack her brains or come up with an excuse. The two of them had just walked out of the shop after buying the jade hairpin when Ning Jue, seeing her looking around, suddenly said, "I remember seeing a vendor selling candied hawthorns at the street corner just now. I suddenly want some. Why don't you go and buy me two? I'll wait for you here."
Bai Hua stopped in her tracks, looked at him, and didn't say anything, her eyes filled with indescribable emotions.
Ning Jue pretended not to notice and urged her, "Go ahead, I'll wait to eat."
Bai Hua continued to look at him, without saying a word.
Ning Jue stopped talking.
The two remained locked in a stalemate. Bai Hua clenched her fists tightly, finally mustering the courage to turn around and take two steps away, but then stopped.
She turned around and saw Ning Jue standing there watching her leave. Her heart clenched painfully. She refused to admit that it was reluctance to part, but only thought that she felt deeply guilty towards him, for lying and deceiving him. She was utterly wicked.
Seeing her hesitate, Ning Jue sighed and walked towards her.
He raised his hand and straightened the lily of the valley jade hairpin he had just bought for her. His voice was no longer stern, but hoarse: "Go quickly, be good."
After saying that, he turned around and left without looking back.
Bai Hua's eyes welled up with tears. She took a deep breath and took another difficult step.
Different directions lead to different paths.
Ning Jue walked slower and slower, his mind still preoccupied with the thoughts she had whispered to him the night before—"I want a peaceful life, just a simple and ordinary one, without knives or swords, without fighting and killing..."
Since you can't do it, you might as well let her go.
...
The teahouse at the entrance of the post station was a place where镖师 (bodyguards) usually rested, so it was naturally Zang Fan's territory, and no one else could monitor him.
Not long after Ning Jue entered and took his seat, Zang Fan appeared, sighing and lamenting.
Seeing that Ning Jue had no reaction, Zang Fan couldn't help but step forward to pick a fight, bluntly saying, "Are you crazy? You gave Rong Linyan five sword moves beyond the forty-first level for nothing, just so that troublemaker could go back and have something to report?"
Ning Jue took a sip of tea, which he didn't usually find so bitter.
He put down his cup and replied, "He's a poor man living in someone else's house, all alone and helpless. It's just a small favor, so I'll help him."
Zang Fan rolled his eyes. What a small favor!
That is the true and authentic Lone Goose Sword Technique, the last forty moves of which are said to have been lost. Its value is priceless!
Now, for the sake of a spy, five techniques are being given away for free...
Zang Fan was so angry that cold sweat broke out on his back. Even if he didn't practice swordsmanship, it wasn't his property, but he still felt a pang of heartache.
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