Extra (2)
Ye Yingying's spirits lifted immediately, but Liao Heng had already disappeared into the crowd. She quickly chased after him down from the stands, peering through the throng of people, when she suddenly spotted that familiar heavy sword flash by. She hurriedly stepped forward to block his path: "Brother Liao Heng!"
"You are..." Liao Heng was startled by her and instinctively tried to distance himself.
“We met in the Secret Sea! I even helped you send a message!” Ye Yingying waved enthusiastically. Liao Heng was stunned for a moment before realizing, “Oh! It’s you! Um, what’s your name…”
"Ye Yingying!"
"Yes, yes, yes! Miss Ye..." Liao Heng chuckled and scratched his head, "I didn't expect Miss Ye to be here too. Please forgive my embarrassing state on the stage just now..."
"Brother Liao, there's no need to be modest. You've been the most formidable challenger these past two days!"
"You flatter me, young lady. I wonder what Miss Yao Yao is like..."
"I was just about to ask you, have you seen her?"
"Huh?" This question stumped Liao Heng. "Shouldn't she be traveling with the young lady?"
Ye Yingying was taken aback, then realized that the other person probably knew less than she did. She was annoyed at her own rashness and could only give a vague excuse before hurriedly saying goodbye. Although she felt a little disappointed, she thought again that Yao Yao really shouldn't stay on land for long, especially not in this place far from the Secret Sea.
She returned to the stands, having lost all interest in the competition. Just as she was getting bored, Yun Yanqiu suddenly approached and said he wanted to take her for a walk alone.
Where to?
"Go up the mountain."
She followed him back to Lingyun Alliance, bewildered, and headed straight for the path behind the mountain. The stone steps were polished smooth by time, and ancient trees towered on both sides, their branches and leaves intertwining to form a green dome. Sunlight filtered through the gaps, casting dappled golden rays. The deeper she went, the more tranquil it became, with only the clear chirping of birds and the murmuring of springs.
The bittersweet scent of orchids filled their nostrils as the two walked through a grove of trees, and suddenly the view opened up before them. Dozens of tombstones stood quietly on a gentle, flat slope, each stone bathed in the warm morning light. Fine grass carpeted the ground between the tombstones, and pear petals gently brushed against the edges of the stones.
Ye Yingying's gaze suddenly fixed on the joint burial tombstone—an empty porcelain cup was placed before the graves of Yun's father and mother, and pale purple orchids were carefully planted around the graves, without a single weed in sight. The pale purple petals trembled gently in the breeze, as if gazing at the visitor through the flowers and leaves.
“When I was away, Zhao Huai Ren managed this place. Later, it was handed over to Meng Sinian and Zhao Yuxiao…” Yun Yanqiu knelt on one knee in front of the tomb, his fingertips gently stroking the inscription, his movements as tender as if he were tidying the clothes of a deceased friend.
"...You insisted on keeping the Witch Spirit Lock because of this?"
"Um."
Ye Yingying understood and silently stepped forward to fill the empty cup. The wine rippled as it entered the cup, and she knelt beside it, watching Yun Yanqiu burn three sticks of incense. The wisps of smoke gathered into a veil, and he took her hand, leading her to raise the wine cup to their eyebrows in a toast.
After offering their toasts, Yun Yanqiu moved to a nearby ink-jade stele, where the inscriptions "Yunyuxi" and "Zhao Huai Ren" were engraved. The two raised their cups again in a toast, and as the wine seeped into the soil, the setting sun bathed the inscription in a golden glow.
Ye Yingying gazed at the damp earth, the distant clamor of the Heroes' Gathering carried on the wind. The sounds of clashing weapons, cheers, and laughter, though separated by mountains, seemed vibrant with life. Suddenly, the image of the perpetual snow of Xuanming Mountain flashed through her mind, snow falling on pine branches, the crackling of the hearth fire—she realized that silence had long since become her norm.
How long has it been since I've seen such a lively scene? Ye Yingying wondered, her fingertips unconsciously tracing the rim of her wine cup. Yun Yanqiu turned to look at her, noticing that the light in her eyes was even brighter than it had been on Xuanming Mountain.
When the two descended the mountain, the competition for the second day had already concluded, but Qin Zhiqing still hadn't appeared. Gazing at Zhao Yuxiao's silent back, Ye Yingying and Yun Yanqiu exchanged a speechless glance. It was Wu Yue who suddenly spoke up: "I've calculated it; she'll come tomorrow."
All three were stunned, and Zhao Yuxiao's eyes suddenly lit up: "Really?"
"Okay." Wu Yue nodded calmly. "Go and get some rest. Don't lose too badly."
"Who says I'll lose?" Zhao Yuxiao clasped his hands in excitement. "Senior Yun, I'll make sure you witness the results of my training tomorrow!" With that, he rushed towards the training ground without looking back.
Ye Yingying, standing to the side, was shocked. Remembering her bet with Qi Shuojun, she hurriedly grabbed Wu Yue: "Are you sure Qin Zhiqing will come tomorrow?!"
No.
"...And what were you doing just now?"
"Just trying to comfort him."
"Hiss..." Ye Yingying frowned even more. "What if Qin Zhiqing doesn't come tomorrow?"
"What do you mean, what to do? If he didn't come, he didn't come."
"Wouldn't Zhao Yuxiao then know you were lying?"
"So what?" Wu Yue said nonchalantly. "He still thinks I'm younger than him."
Ye Yingying was stunned for a moment, then said urgently, "I have a bet with Qi Shuojun. If you guess right and make me lose money, you have to compensate me!"
“…You should quit gambling.” Wu Yue couldn’t help but roll her eyes at her.
On the third day of the gathering of heroes, the arena was unusually deserted. The scorching sun baked the bluestone arena, causing waves of heat to rise, but Zhao Yuxiao remained seated with his eyes closed. His white robes stood motionless in the scorching wind, only the knuckles of his fingers gripping the sword hilt showed signs of burning.
In the stands, Ye Yingying lazily rested her chin on her hand, her gaze lingering on the silent Qi Shuojun. This usually composed young master was unusually quiet today, even his usual folding fan rested quietly on his lap, his gaze fixed as if on the arena, unmoving.
The sun grew increasingly scorching, and waves of heat blurred the figures on the ring.
Just when everyone thought that Young Master Zhao would sit there until the end, a dark shadow suddenly tore through the blinding light and swept down from above.
The newcomer wore a pure black cloak, completely covering his face. Before anyone could react, the man drew a series of thin, willow-leaf swords, their blades gleaming in the bright sunlight, emitting a blinding white light that pierced Zhao Yuxiao's eyes.
A gust of wind swept towards him, and Zhao Yuxiao's eyes flashed. In an instant, he raised his sword to deflect the sudden attack. As the two swords clashed, the moment he saw the eyes beneath the cloak, his swordplay suddenly became fierce, forcing his opponent back three steps.
The two clashed, testing each other's strength. Amidst the flashing blades, the sound of clashing swords was like pearls falling on a jade plate. The shadowy figure's swordplay was unpredictable and erratic, often striking from unexpected angles, only to suddenly parry just before striking. After thirty moves, Zhao Yuxiao suddenly changed his attack, unleashing a torrential downpour of sword strikes. The man couldn't block in time; a fraction of a second too slow, and the black cloth covering his face was slit open by the sword tip—
A murmur rippled through the stands as everyone craned their necks, trying to make out the figure's face. Ye Yingying and Qi Shuojun instinctively rushed to the railing, but the sunlight was too dazzling; against the light, they could only vaguely see a pale neck peeking out from under the cloak. Only Zhao Yuxiao on the platform clearly saw the face, his pupils contracting and his movements momentarily halting: "You..."
This sudden clash gave his opponent an opening. A flash of cold light appeared, and the light sword ruthlessly aimed for his throat. Zhao Yuxiao retreated three steps, barely dodging the attack, but the sword's energy still grazed his neck, drawing blood. His opponent's swordplay suddenly changed, each move aimed directly at vital points, the blade repeatedly grazing his lifeline. The two figures blurred into indistinct afterimages, the sparks from their clashing weapons more dazzling than the sun.
The fight lasted for more than an hour, and the two gradually slowed down. Zhao Yuxiao's swordsmanship remained steady, but he could not hide his fatigue, and the black-clad man's footwork was no longer as agile as before.
Just as the tips of their swords clashed again, a gasp suddenly erupted from the stands: "I think I saw Qin Zhiqing use this move last year!"
The whispers spread like wildfire: "But wasn't Miss Qin already...?"
"Hey, you know what, this swordsmanship does look a bit like..."
"This person's figure definitely looks like a woman's!"
The two on the arena paused upon hearing the sound, their swordplay momentarily weakening. The man in black suddenly used the momentum to leap backward, his cloak billowing as he sheathed his sword. He parted his lips slightly and uttered something, his voice so soft that only Zhao Yuxiao could hear it.
Zhao Yuxiao's pupils contracted slightly, and his hand holding the sword trembled slightly.
Before anyone could think it through, the man in black solemnly clasped his hands in a salute to Zhao Yuxiao, then leaped into the high wall and disappeared from everyone's sight in no time.
The clouds thickened, obscuring the blinding sunlight. Zhao Yuxiao remained in his fighting stance, staring blankly in the direction where the man had disappeared.
"So... they've already given up?" The people in the stands were stunned for a moment, and then burst into discussion after a brief silence.
"Right? They've all been driven away..."
"They slipped away pretty quickly."
"I thought he was some tough guy, but it turns out he's just this?"
"It seems that Young Master Zhao is destined to win first place this year!"
Everyone chattered about Zhao Yuxiao, completely forgetting the fleeting "Qin Zhiqing" from earlier, except for Qi Shuojun, who remained focused on the arena. Seeing this, Ye Yingying gently nudged his arm: "Aren't you going to go and see?"
"No need." His voice was low, his gaze fixed on the arena.
The three-day challenge ended without any suspense, with Zhao Yuxiao achieving a perfect record.
In the evening, the Lingyun Alliance held a celebration banquet. Ye Yingying and the others were present, and Qi Shuojun was also invited. The happiest person at the banquet was none other than Alliance Leader Meng Sinian. At the previous Heroes' Gathering, he watched helplessly as his son was overshadowed by a suddenly appearing young girl, and he felt extremely frustrated. This time, seeing Zhao Yuxiao so impressive, Alliance Leader Meng's smile was radiant. He raised his wine jug and drank heartily, quickly becoming quite drunk.
Zhao Yuxiao watched his father get more and more drunk and could only smile awkwardly, occasionally drinking a cup or two with him. It wasn't until after several rounds of drinks, when everyone was completely drunk, that Zhao Yuxiao finally managed to escape the noise and come to Qi Shuojun, who was sitting alone in the corner.
"Congratulations." Qi Shuojun smiled and raised her glass to him. "The money you owe me can now be wiped clean."
"You noticed?" Zhao Yuxiao clinked glasses with him and sat down beside him.
"Besides her, who else?" Qi Shuojun took a sip of Lingyun Alliance's strong liquor, showing no sign of drunkenness. "What did she throw at you in the end?"
"Wow, you saw that too." Zhao Yuxiao hadn't expected Qi Shuojun to have such good eyesight, even catching the afterimage of Qin Zhiqing's last move in the blink of an eye. He took something out of his pocket and handed it to Qi Shuojun: "Here, she asked me to give this to you."
Qi Shuojun lowered her eyes to look—it was a wooden hairpin, with a pure white six-petaled flower adorning its tip. Qi Shuojun recognized the flower; it was the decaying wood flower unique to Lizhou. Qi Shuojun gazed at it for a long time, then tilted her head back and drank the wine in her cup in one gulp.
Zhao Yuxiao was somewhat confused. After hesitating for a moment, he continued, "She has a very long scar on her left cheek." As he spoke, he held up his hand to his face to show it. Qi Shuojun glanced at him, her brows furrowing slightly, but she continued pouring wine without saying anything more.
Just then, Ye Yingying and Yun Yanqiu arrived together.
"What are you whispering about here?" Ye Yingying asked with a smile.
Zhao Yuxiao hurriedly stood up: "Senior Yun!—"
"Not bad," Yun Yanqiu praised lightly, making the young man beam with pride.
Ye Yingying leaned down to look at Qi Shuojun: "You won back all the money I earned the other day, so why are you drinking alone?"
Qi Shuojun raised her eyes and chuckled, "Which eye of Miss Ye saw that this was a case of drowning one's sorrows?"
"I was mistaken." Ye Yingying glanced at the wooden hairpin in his hand, a hint of surprise flashing in her eyes. She remembered this hairpin; she had seen it when she was impersonating Qin Zhiqing. It was the only thing Chi He took with her when she left.
"You've met?"
"Not yet." Qi Shuojun put the hairpin back into his pocket and calmly straightened his clothes. "But it will be soon." He politely took his leave and his figure disappeared outside the door.
The night was as dark as ink. A gentle breeze swept through, and the snow-white pear blossoms on the branches fluttered down, lingering briefly on Qi Shuojun's shoulder before sliding to the ground.
The banquet in the distance was still noisy. Qi Shuojun returned to the courtyard, but her steps suddenly stopped the moment she pushed open the door. Under the pear tree in the courtyard, a slender black figure stood silently.
Chi He stood there motionless, letting the moonlight bathe her in its soft glow. Hearing the door open, she turned around and bowed respectfully to Qi Shuojun: "Young Master Qi, it's been a long time." The night breeze ruffled her loose hair, and the scars on her face were particularly clear in the moonlight.
"...It really took a long time." Qi Shuojun closed the hospital door, his gaze falling on her profile. "Did you do this yourself?"
Chi He paused slightly, then gently touched the already hardened bump on her face: "No, it was an injury from a demonic beast. But this makes things easier, since I'm wearing Miss's face..."
"Your face can't be changed back?"
"Yes, this is the price of Linglong Noodles."
Qi Shuojun narrowed his eyes slightly, approached silently, and began to scrutinize her face. Chi He met his eyes; his dark pupils seemed to hold something that inexplicably made her feel nervous.
"Young Master Qi?" She held her breath slightly, but Qi Shuojun remained silent for a long time before suddenly taking out a wooden hairpin and asking, "Why did you think of giving me this?"
Chi He came to her senses and said calmly, "I wanted you to see that this flower has bloomed again." Moonlight flowed through the pure white petals, revealing the fine texture on them. "I took it with me as a keepsake. I originally thought it would never bloom again."
Qi Shuojun casually fiddled with the hairpin: "So, by giving it to me, you mean you'll never have any more thoughts about it?"
"The longing remains, but there's no need for external things to hold me back." Chi He smiled gently. "I wanted to share this with you first, that's all."
Qi Shuojun lowered her eyes and played with the wooden hairpin. After a long while, she sighed softly, "It seems I don't need to worry anymore."
Chi He stared at him blankly, not understanding what he meant.
"Why that expression? Shouldn't you have been waiting for this day for a while?" Qi Shuojun raised an eyebrow and chuckled.
Unexpectedly, Chi He asked somewhat flusteredly, "Is Young Master Qi dissatisfied with this item?"
“It has nothing to do with the hairpin.” The warm light from the lantern under the eaves mingled with the cold moonlight, casting dappled shadows on Qi Shuojun’s eyelashes. “I’m just tired of it.”
The night breeze suddenly became gentle, and pear blossoms hung suspended in mid-air. Two figures overlapped on the bluestone slab, and the distant clamor of the banquet became blurred.
The banquet in the distance was still lively and noisy. Ye Yingying was listening to Zhao Yuxiao talk endlessly about his experiences to Yun Yanqiu. Yun Yanqiu was also patiently listening. She had no choice but to continue to keep him company, listlessly swirling the teacup in her hand.
The tea tasted rather bland at the table, but Yun Yanqiu was very protective of her, insisting that she not drink the strong liquor. Fine, she wouldn't try it then; she had just secretly taken a sip, and it certainly didn't suit her taste.
However, with the tea in her cup nearly empty and Zhao Yuxiao showing no signs of stopping, Ye Yingying couldn't help but feel a little helpless. She glanced around and finally couldn't help but interrupt, "Where's Wu Yue?"
"She said she doesn't like crowds and left early," Zhao Yuxiao replied truthfully.
Upon hearing this, Ye Yingying's eyes darted around, a sly glint in them: "Speaking of which, isn't Yun Yanqiu your great-uncle?"
“…Ah?” Zhao Yuxiao was suddenly stunned. Although he knew the matter of seniority, he just couldn’t bring himself to say “Little Uncle” whenever he saw Yun Yanqiu’s handsome face.
Yun Yanqiu glanced at Ye Yingying, wondering for a moment why she had suddenly brought this up.
"Do you know that Wu Yue is actually Yun Yanqiu's adopted sister?" Ye Yingying continued.
Upon hearing this, Zhao Yuxiao's stunned expression immediately cracked. Before he could respond, Ye Yingying "thoughtfully" sorted out the relationship for him: "Yun Yanqiu is your maternal uncle, and Wu Yue is Yun Yanqiu's sworn sister, so what should you call Wu Yue?"
“No, Wu Yue is not better than me…” Zhao Yuxiao wanted to retort, but suddenly froze and ran out without saying anything more.
Yun Yanqiu watched his retreating figure, then turned back to Ye Yingying helplessly: "I never acknowledged her as my sworn sister."
"It doesn't matter, haven't you helped her enough?" Ye Yingying smiled and took his hand. "Let's go."
Where to?
"Let's go for a stroll." Ye Yingying glanced into the room. Alliance Leader Meng and his drinking buddies were completely drunk and hadn't noticed anything happening inside.
Yun Yanqiu followed her gaze across the room and couldn't help but sigh, "Let's go."
The two strolled under the moonlight. Ye Yingying would glance at the person beside her from time to time, feeling that the silvery light flowed on his white clothes, making him look like an immortal.
Just as she was engrossed in watching, Yun Yanqiu suddenly asked, "Did you chase after that rogue cultivator during the day for Yao Yao?"
"Hmm." She kicked away a pebble at her feet. "I'm just a little curious, she..." Before she could finish speaking, a familiar sound suddenly came from the courtyard next door.
"Are you really Senior Yun's sworn sister?" It was Zhao Yuxiao's voice, full of urgency.
"Who told you that?" Wu Yue raised an eyebrow.
"Miss Ye."
"You believe what she says?" Wu Yue scoffed. "But it's true that she's older than you."
"That's good..." Zhao Yuxiao breathed a sigh of relief, then suddenly raised his voice, "Are you older than me? How much older?"
"Hmm... around 180 years old?"
"How...how many?!" Zhao Yuxiao was shocked and couldn't help but rub his forehead and mutter, "One hundred and eighty years old...isn't that about the same as what Miss Ye said..."
"What?" Wu Yue put her hands on her hips, moved closer to Zhao Yuxiao, and stared straight up at him. "You think I'm too old?"
"No! It's just..." His mind was in complete turmoil, and his face suddenly flushed red as he faced Wu Yue's face so close to his own. "You...you...you should get some rest!"
Outside the wall, Ye Yingying suppressed a laugh and silently tugged at Yun Yanqiu's sleeve as they left.
As the two walked around the corridor, a low chuckle suddenly came from behind them. She turned around in surprise and saw Yun Yanqiu's shoulders trembling slightly, a rare smile in his eyes.
Ye Yingying was stunned. She was as aloof as Yun Yanqiu, yet now she was laughing at the feelings of a younger generation.
"What are you laughing at?"
"It's nothing..." Yun Yanqiu's smile faded a bit, "I just feel that Zhao Yuxiao has had it too hard."
Ye Yingying recalled the scene just now, and when she thought of Zhao Yuxiao's panicked escape, she couldn't help but burst out laughing: "He's really completely under Wu Yue's thumb."
The moonlight spilled over the green tiles and flowed between the two men's clothes. After a while, they finally stopped laughing.
The lanterns under the eaves cast a soft glow on Yun Yanqiu's profile. He gazed intently at Ye Yingying and asked softly, "Want to go to the Secret Sea?"
Ye Yingying paused for a moment, then smiled and asked, "Do you want to go?"
"Not really," Yun Yanqiu answered frankly, taking her hand and stroking it carefully. "The merfolk there like you, but they don't welcome me." His tone was as calm as if he were saying the tea was too hot, but a hint of barely perceptible grievance was revealed in the corner of his eye.
Upon hearing this, Ye Yingying laughed so hard she bent over, her laughter drifting away on the night breeze.
She reached out and cupped Yun Yanqiu's face, her fingertips tracing his slightly cool earlobe: "I love you just the way you are now." Her eyes shone brightly in the moonlight, "Even more so than when we were at Xuanming Mountain."
“Is that so…” Yun Yanqiu’s long eyelashes trembled slightly, his fingers intertwined with hers, the calluses on his palms gently brushing against her knuckles, like some kind of hidden mark, “Then how about… we stay a little longer before going back.”
His voice was so low it almost disappeared into the night.
"Okay." Ye Yingying nodded without hesitation and buried her face in his neck. "You can stay as long as you want."
Night fog had rolled in unnoticed, casting distant lights into hazy silhouettes. The distant sound of a night watchman's drum drifted over, startling the birds resting in the mountains. Their light wings swept across the night sky, scattering starlight that gently landed between their clasped fingers.
The lanterns in the corner swayed, their warm light leaving a trail that gradually faded into the distance on the bluestone slabs. The evening breeze swept through the corridor, carrying the faint sounds of distant commotion; the banquet was not yet over, and the firelight remained bright.
End of extra chapter.
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