Chapter 10 Shaoyang Sect (10) Zhu Ciying likes this pair of cotton ropes...
June 20th, early morning.
"Qi-replenishing pills, hemostatic pills, recovery pills...shadow-hiding talismans, puppet talismans, spirit-sealing chains...bring them all!"
"Senior Sister, I can't fit any more."
Zhu Ciying weighed the bulging storage bag helplessly.
"There's still room, squeeze in a little more." Zhou Mingran forcefully stuffed the last magical instrument in. "Senior Sister can't go to Penglai Island, so I'll prepare some extra things for you to protect yourself."
"Senior Sister, you're worrying too much. It's just a trial. There's an inspection team monitoring the entire process. There's no danger to your life."
Zhou Mingran held Zhu Ciying's hand and warned, "Yingying, the situation in the arena is unpredictable. If you can't win, retreat first, find a place to hide, and then wait for an opportunity to strike."
"Okay, I understand."
Zhu Ciying put the storage bag on her waist. A spirit bird flew over from afar and landed on her shoulder: "Little fairy, it's time to set off."
Zhou Mingran hugged her one last time: "Senior Sister will wait for your safe return."
"Okay. Goodbye, Senior Sister."
At the foot of Feijue Peak, a human figure was faintly visible in a thin layer of mist.
"Senior Brother." Zhu Ciying called him.
Xie Rangchen stood with his hands behind his back, glancing at her through the gap in his mask.
Zhu Ciying was wearing a goose yellow gauze dress with narrow sleeves today. Pearl osmanthus hairpins were inserted on both sides of her hair. A red headband was faintly visible in her black hair. The two strands of hair hanging in front of her chest were tied tightly with hair buckles of the same color.
When she smiled, her dark almond eyes blinked gently.
Xie Rangchen was in a trance for a moment.
He handed over the things hidden behind him: "Junior sister, your clothes."
Zhu Ciying lowered her eyes to look. It was the moon-white, wide-sleeved shirt she had used as a cushion under Xie Rangchen earlier in the back mountain.
Xie Rangchen washed it clean and folded it neatly.
"Thank you, senior brother." Zhu Ciying took the clothes, put one hand through the sleeve, and suddenly smelled the faint fragrance of osmanthus.
She looked up in confusion and was about to ask, but Xie Rangchen answered first, "I saw that there were osmanthus flowers embroidered on your clothes, and I thought you would like it, so I fumigated it with osmanthus fragrance without your permission."
Zhu Ciying raised the corners of her lips, tucked her hair behind her ears, and said softly, "It's more than just love."
It's more of nostalgia.
A gentle breeze blew across her face, and the girl's sleeves fluttered in the wind.
"The wide sleeves make it inconvenient to move, so junior sister, use this to tie your sleeves." Xie Rangchen spread out his hands, and two red cotton ropes lay quietly in his palms, with a small silver bell at the end of each rope.
"Where did you get it, senior brother?" Zhu Ciying remembered that he didn't have any spirit stones on him.
The spirit bird knew the answer: "Little Fairy, I know, I know! He helped other sword cultivators teach swordsmanship for two days, and the sword cultivator gave him ten spirit stones, so he bought it."
"Junior sister, you have helped me a lot. This is just a small token of my gratitude." Xie Rangchen explained, "Please accept it."
Zhu Ciying couldn't refuse and had to accept it.
She folded her sleeves, wrapped the red rope around them, tied them tightly, and tied a knot.
The red and blue combination was very pleasing to the eye. She moved her arms, but the bells remained silent, making no sound.
Very good, this way the risk of exposure can be minimized.
Zhu Ciying likes this pair of cotton ropes.
*
Penglai Island is about 20,000 miles away from Yuzhou.
The flying boat is five times faster than a flying car and can reach the destination in just five days.
As for the height, if the spirit bird stretched out its neck, it would be at least as high as a four-story building.
After stepping onto the flying boat, the cloud ladder automatically ascended to the top, an open-air public space. The spirit bird was surprised again, it turned out that the space above was even more spacious.
Zhu Ciying stood on the deck and looked around. The first thing that caught her attention was the woman in white, Qu Wanqing, who was sitting face to face with Master Yuyin.
Then there was the young man in black who was leaning against the sidewall with an indifferent expression, wiping his sword, and the young man who was half leaning back in a wooden chair, concentrating on reading the jade slip.
"Master."
"Yingying, you're here." Master Yuyin had just made tea.
He put down the work at hand and was about to stand up when a white figure flashed by in his peripheral vision.
“Yingying!”
Qu Wanqing almost flew over, opened his arms and hugged Zhu Ciying, resting his forehead on her shoulder.
Zhu Ciying felt a damp and cool sensation on her shoulder, and was slightly startled before calling out softly, "Senior Sister."
Qu Wanqing hugged her even tighter, his voice choked with sobs as he said, "I'm sorry! Yingying, I'm sorry... I, I should have woken up earlier... I shouldn't have been deceived and missed the opportunity to testify for you..."
The master had clearly promised her not to blame her, but he lied to her.
She spoke incoherently and sobbed, but insisted on finishing her words.
Zhu Ciying slowly raised his hands and hugged her back. His cold and indifferent eyes gradually became gentle, and even his voice had a hint of imperceptible warmth.
"Senior Sister, this is not your fault. On the contrary, I owe you a lot."
"But I didn't help you at all..."
"Senior Sister, you were the one who helped me in the beginning." Zhu Ciying patted her on the back. "If you hadn't shown mercy and taken control of the situation, I'm afraid I would have made an even bigger mistake that day. By then, it would have been too late."
"So, please relax and don't feel any burden."
Qu Wanqing's eyes welled with tears. She clearly felt guilty towards her junior sister, yet she was comforted by her.
She is really useless.
Zhu Ciying then said a lot of things to divert Qu Wanqing's attention and pull her out of her self-blame. It wasn't until she laughed that Zhu Ciying relaxed a little and asked, "Who are these two?"
Qu Wanqing introduced them to him one by one.
She pointed at the young man sheathing his sword. "His name is Xu Feihuai, Elder Li's only direct disciple. He's nineteen, the same age as me. Based on seniority, you should call him Senior Brother. He's a quiet guy, a warm-hearted person with a cold exterior. It shouldn't be difficult to get along with him."
Then he pointed at the young man reading the jade slip and said, "This is our Shaoyang Sect's senior brother, my father's direct disciple, named Yun Bujin. Senior Brother Yun's personality is completely different from Xu Feihuai's. He is outgoing and helpful. My father said that he is calm and steady in his work, so he is the perfect person to be the team leader this time."
Zhu Ciying got the general information to facilitate future contact with them.
Yu Yin Zhenren spoke at the right moment: "Now that everyone is here, let's start assigning rooms. Would you like to draw lots, or choose your own?"
After these words were spoken, the scene fell silent, as if a bucket of cold water had been poured on them. Finally, the five individuals, whose personal opinions were not strong, unanimously agreed to draw lots to decide.
The room drawn by Yu Yin Zhenren and Yun Bujin was in the middle, with Zhu Ciying and Xie Rangchen on the left, and Qu Wanqing and Xu Feihuai on the right.
All six people expressed satisfaction with their rooms.
A quarter of an hour later, as Master Yu Yin gave orders, the flying boat floated high into the sky, then changed direction and accelerated towards Penglai Island.
*
The night before arriving in Penglai.
Zhu Ciying dreamed again of the days when he was in the Qingwei Sect.
The first lesson is the basic sword technique compiled by the master that everyone in the Qingwei Sect can use - the Sixteen Swords of Inviting the Moon.
The second senior brother was in charge of teaching, while Xie Rangchen supervised from the side.
"Stop, let's stop here today." The second brother made a gesture.
Zhu Ciying held the sword, her bandaged hand paused slightly, but she continued to chop downwards.
"Junior sister." Xie Rangchen stepped forward and helped her adjust the angle, "A little more towards this side."
The senior brother's palm was much larger than hers, and when it covered hers, his warmth came with it, dispelling the cold. Zhu Ciying's nose was red from the cold, and she took a deep breath and said, "Thank you, senior brother."
"Hmph, Ah Ying, I was the one who taught you swordsmanship. I didn't contribute any credit, but I also worked hard. Why are you only thanking him?"
Zhu Ciying had been in Qingwei Sect for over half a month and had roughly figured out the temper of his second senior brother. He knew that this man wasn't a bad person, nor was he really seeking credit. He was just a tsundere weirdo with a weird personality.
She was about to speak when she saw someone approaching them rapidly from a distance.
Zhu Ciying recognized the person at a glance and called out, "Third Senior Sister."
"Aying, senior brother." The third senior sister greeted him and suddenly punched someone.
The latter cried out in pain: "What are you doing!"
The third sister sneered: "I'm not happy with you. Who told you to bully Aying?"
"Which eye of yours saw me bullying her?"
"Not only did I see it with my own eyes, I heard it with my own ears. Master always teaches us to 'do good deeds and not worry about the future.' And you, taking credit for it from Junior Sister, don't you feel ashamed?"
They started arguing again.
Zhu Ciying and Xie Rangchen looked at each other silently, understanding each other's embarrassment.
Xie Rangchen tried to mediate: "Junior brothers and sisters, please stop arguing. Don't damage the harmony among fellow disciples."
The second brother put one hand on the jade gourd at his waist and tilted his head lightly: "Tsk, I don't bother to argue with her."
"Hmph! I am a magnanimous lady and don't bother to get angry with narrow-minded people."
He gritted his teeth: "Want to fight?"
Zhu Ciying felt something was wrong when she heard his tone. Almost at the same time, she heard the clear ringing of a silver bell and her senior sister's slightly disdainful voice: "I'm busy."
"With Master's permission, I want to go back to Penglai Island to visit my relatives."
"Aying, do you want to go to Penglai Island with me?"
Eh?
Going to a place outside of Qingwei Sect...
Zhu Ciying hasn't thought about it yet.
"Penglai..." Xie Rangchen muttered these two words in a low voice, and suddenly he became interested. "I heard that the scenery here is very beautiful. Can you take me with you?"
The third sister said happily, "Of course! I'll be your host and warmly welcome you to Penglai Island."
Zhu Ciying's dark eyes moved slightly twice, and she replied, "Senior Sister, I'll go."
"Great! I'll go back and get ready, and we'll set off tomorrow."
After watching the senior sister leave, Zhu Ciying and the other two were left.
Second Brother is still sulking.
Xie Rangchen said, "Junior sister, you've worked hard practicing sword today. Go back and rest early."
Zhu Ciying nodded. After pondering for a moment, he stepped closer to his second senior brother.
"Brother, thank you. Not only for teaching me swordsmanship, but also for the gift you gave me."
Her five fingers flew swiftly, forming a beautiful seal. In an instant, a tall and sturdy white tiger appeared out of thin air, majestic and awe-inspiring, roaring tiger-like voices.
The whole mountain was filled with the sound of tiger roars.
She secretly raised her eyes to look at her second senior brother, only to see his face, which was as dark as the bottom of a pot just now, suddenly changed. His mouth opened slightly, and after a long while, he uttered two words: "Damn..."
He held up three fingers and said in disbelief, "Don't tell me you learned it in just three days."
Zhu Ciying: "How is that possible?"
His expression eased slightly, but the next moment it turned as dark as the bottom of a pot again.
Zhu Ciying said seriously, "It took me three and a half days."
He didn't want to talk to her anymore.
He had been known as a genius in practicing magic since he was a child, and it took him twenty-one days to learn this magic seal.
In comparison, the Junior Sister is simply a monster! A genius!
"Brother, you said that as long as I learn the seal, you will agree to one of my requests."
"Let's go to Penglai Island together."
Let’s go to Penglai Island together.
Penglai Island...
Zhu Ciying suddenly opened her eyes.
There was no light in the room, and it was pitch black. Only a small amount of light from the moon outside came in through the window, falling just on the wall inside the bed. The scattered light points were better than nothing.
Zhu Ciying couldn't sleep and sat on the bed for a while.
Her head ached, and her chest felt heavy, as if it were blocked by a stone. She put on her shoes, put on her coat, and left the house.
She closed the door gently, turned around, and was almost startled.
Because besides her, there was another person standing on the deck. As the flying boat broke through the thick clouds, the moonlight took over more territory, and the figure gradually became clear.
It’s Xie Rangchen.
Perhaps sensing something, he suddenly turned around, and their eyes happened to meet.
Xie Rangchen took the initiative to talk: "What a coincidence, Junior Sister, can't you sleep either?"
"Well, I had a dream. After waking up, it became even harder to fall asleep again." Zhu Ciying lay on the railing beside him, looking at the endless sea below.
"What about you, Senior Brother? Is it also because of the dream?"
"Not really." Xie Rangchen leaned against the railing and closed his eyes. "I drank too much tea, so I can't sleep."
Zhu Ciying: “…” This reason sounds quite reasonable?
She changed her posture and continued to lie on the railing to watch the night.
At night, the speed of the flying boat continued unabated, and the sharp wind brushed against his cheeks, causing them to sting. However, this helped Zhu Ciying regain some consciousness.
That was three hundred years ago.
The old friend has passed away, and every time the living recall the past, it is only to peel off the scabs of the wound and increase the sadness.
"Cough, cough, cough cough..."
The suppressed cough brought Zhu Ciying back to her senses.
"Brother, it's cold at night. You don't have any spiritual power to rely on, so be careful not to catch a cold."
Zhu Ciying placed one hand on the arm of the person next to her, and spiritual power flowed from her fingertips into his limbs and bones.
Xie Rangchen's body stiffened.
He lowered his eyes to glance at the girl's fair, delicate hand, his heart trembling slightly. In a great battle between immortals and demons, all his teachers and friends had perished. He had thought he would live a lonely life, but he had never imagined that there would be someone in this world who cared for him and looked after him.
Xie Rangchen smiled at her and said, "We will arrive at Penglai Island early tomorrow morning. Junior sister, go back to sleep."
"By the way, if you still can't fall asleep, try a method I know."
Zhu Ciying: "What?"
Xie Rangchen pointed to the twinkling stars in the sky and said, "Make a wish to the stars."
The author has something to say:
----------------------
Second Brother (thoughtfully: When did I ever say I would agree to her request?
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com