Chapter 25
Midday, Chunyang Palace.
After having lunch, Wu Shuang went to the Tai Chi Square to observe her junior brothers practicing, explained today's lessons to her junior sister, and then went to the Sword Debate Platform alone.
The Sword Debate Platform was far from his usual residence. He usually fasted and practiced swordsmanship in the early morning, took a short nap at noon, read the books he carried with him in the afternoon, and returned home in the evening.
Ever since Jiang Chengfeng's visit, the knot in his heart that he couldn't let go of had begun to twist into an intractable problem.
Since the Maple Valley Incident more than ten years ago, he had been living in seclusion in Chunyang and had never left the mountain. His junior sisters always laughed at him behind his back for being old-fashioned and not venturing out into the martial world to learn about the affairs of the world. He would just close his eyes, pick up his long sword, and leave.
I saw Ye Mo last month, and she wasn't doing well.
Wu Shuang knew the hidden story, but when she spoke it out, she realized it was just one person's obsession. The deeper the obsession, the more resentment there would be, and no amount of comforting would be of any use.
Using his sect's lightness skill, he reached the sword platform in less than the time it takes for an incense stick to burn. He wiped the snow from his forehead and noticed an unfamiliar figure under the tree.
He looked closely and saw that the man was dressed in purple, with soft animal fur on his shoulders and a bronze sword holder on his back. The hilt of his broadsword was wrapped with strips of cloth, a habit of those who practiced martial arts for many years. Only by holding the weapon firmly in their hands could they save their lives.
“Amo said you were unwilling to help, and after thinking about it for a long time, I decided to come and meet with you to talk to you.”
Wu Shuang's pupils dilated instantly, and before her hand could even touch the sword, a gust of wind grabbed her neck.
“She is in poor health and doesn’t practice martial arts or move around much. I wanted to take her back to Ba Dao Manor to recuperate, but she refused. Her wish has not yet been fulfilled, so she will not give up.”
Wu Shuang grabbed the wrist that was choking her neck, stared at the person in front of her as he took a sheathed knife off his back, and with a forceful flick of his wrist, smashed it against the trunk of a pine tree next to him.
"You are the sorcerer, right?"
He squeezed his five fingers together, pressing them against Wu Shuang's skin, leaving a reddish mark.
"Why did you refuse Amo's request? You know this is her only wish. Yet the only person who could help her is hiding in these remote mountains, wasting his time. It's infuriating!"
Wu Shuang never reached for the sword behind him; he only gripped his wrist. After taking a deep breath, he struggled to utter a single sentence.
Wu Shuang looked at him and said:
"No...it's not that I don't want to...it's that I can't..."
The person was stunned, and after a long while, slowly let go of his hand.
"Your Pure Yang Palace has cultivated immortal arts and attained enlightenment. You were also one of the earliest alchemists to join the profession. In terms of seniority and cultivation, you are both of the highest rank. How can you not be qualified!"
Wu Shuang swallowed hard, her heavy breathing mingling with the cold air of snowflakes.
He said softly, "The place where the sorcerer goes is called the Inner World. There, the sorcerer can move freely and ask any questions to the wandering souls. But..."
The purple-clad swordsman frowned, walked to the tree, gripped the hilt of his sword, and drew it.
“Go on.”
Wu Shuang watched his retreating figure and said, "Ye Mo told you that she said she wanted to see them. In reality, she wanted to bring them back. Do you know that the sorcerer himself is also in a precarious situation in the inner world?"
"Is it not even allowed to meet once?"
The purple-clad swordsman stared at Wu Shuang and asked.
Wu Shuang regained her breathing and looked up at him.
"What Ye Mo wants is not that simple."
"She came to me because she wanted to use other people's flesh and blood to reshape the body of the sorcerer, and then use the soul-guiding technique to send Yue'er, Sister Qiu, and the others back to the bodies of the suitable people she found."
The purple-clad swordsman was stunned, almost suffocating from the ice and snow.
"Liu Yu, this isn't just her wish, it's murder."
The purple-clad swordsman stood under the tree, his hands clenched into fists, and turned to look at Wu Shuang.
"You think I'd believe that?"
Wu Shuang shook her head.
"You understand this principle."
Liu Yu walked towards him step by step, his footsteps on the snow matching the speed of Wu Shuang's heartbeat.
He walked up to Wu Shuang and stopped. He watched the frost and snow falling gently before his eyes.
"Parting from the flowers."
Wu Shuang's heart skipped a beat.
"I want to see her here in three days. Don't even think about hiding her."
Liu Yu walked away step by step, his heavy footsteps leaving marks on the snow that were difficult to cover.
Wu Shuang turned her head to look at the pine tree, its branches heavy with snow, like a weary old man, giving it a sigh.
"Senior Sister Lijiang, where is Uncle Wu?"
The snow on the mountain was falling heavily, and the emblem of Tai Chi Square was quickly covered in white. The disciples all went to the inner room to avoid the snow, and a purple figure moved swiftly among the blue-clad crowd.
Li Jiang, sword in hand, stood in the crowd, heard the call, and turned to answer:
"He went to the Sword Debate Platform at noon, and now that the snow is falling heavily, he should be heading back by now. Why don't you wait here?"
Hua Bieli carefully wiped the fine snow off the medicine box, glanced at the weather, then grabbed the box and placed it at her feet to rest.
She pulled a handkerchief from her sleeve, intending to wipe her sweat, but then remembered that Wu Shuang would be back soon, and the snow was too heavy on the way; he had just practiced swordsmanship, and sweating would easily make him catch a cold. So she put it away and casually wiped her forehead with her sleeve.
Lijiang glanced at her and smiled.
"Bie Li, did you sneak out of Flower Valley again to bring medicine to Uncle Wu?"
Hua Bieli felt a sudden heat in her head, her face flushed, and she covered her face as she turned away.
"Wh...what? My senior brother told me to come! Besides, why would I need to sneak around? My Shasha can run faster than me, so there's no need to sneak around!"
Lijiang frowned and asked, "Who is Shasha?"
Hua Bieli turned around defiantly, but the cold air made her cheeks flush red. She immediately pointed to the white horse grazing in the stable in the distance, and scratched her head with a grin.
Lijiang watched her retreating figure, then smiled and shook his head.
"Things have been chaotic outside these past few days. Be careful when you go out and avoid causing trouble. Chunyang Palace is located in the Central Plains. Although it is situated on Mount Hua, the journey here is not safe. Remember this, and don't sneak out again next time."
Hua Bieli responded shyly:
"I know, I know, Senior Sister Lijiang is still the best to me!"
She threw herself onto Li Jiang, clinging tightly to his arm. Li Jiang, unable to resist her, could only give up and gaze at the snow-covered ground. This sight caused the surrounding disciples to turn away and walk around her.
...
Something seems wrong.
"Alright, alright, with the snow falling so heavily, Wu Shuang should probably head back soon. Let's go inside and rest for a while."
"good!"
Suddenly, a clump of trees rustled in the distance. She looked over and saw that it was probably a crane that had gotten lost in the snow while foraging for food.
Without much thought, she let go of Lijiang, picked up her medicine box, and followed her into the inner room to rest.
Liu Yu, standing behind the pine and cypress trees, slowly brushed away the snow, watching Hua Bieli disappear from sight, his eyes revealing the look of a predator hunting its prey.
"Don't forget how they betrayed their promise and abandoned Amo. Liu Yu, don't let the wind and snow blind you."
The peace and tranquility within Taiyuan City brought a sigh of relief to Alu and Yang Yuan, who had successfully entered. The refugees were all housed in the city and cared for by designated personnel. Disciples from various sects had established camps there, taking turns patrolling the city walls. The Cangyun, originally a regular army, had taken on important responsibilities.
Yang Yuan and A Lu went to the teahouse to rest, and when they caught sight of the disciples of the Hidden Sword Manor next door, they stopped drinking their tea.
Following her peripheral vision, A-Lu saw the people in bright yellow clothing and simply said:
"Don't worry. Ye Min knows how to do things properly. Tian Ce Mansion is at least in Luoyang, so nothing will happen to it."
"I'm afraid that Jiang Chengfeng and the others will leave before he even arrives. It's not worth it to try and get something for nothing."
A-Lu called the waiter to refill the pot of buckwheat tea. The tea was steaming hot as he picked up the cup. His hands were red from the heat of the cup, but having lived in the desert for so long, his hands, which were calloused from holding knives all year round, were warm to the touch through the skin. The heat from the cup felt like a damp towel.
Ah Lu swallowed the bitter taste in her mouth and looked at the bustling teahouse, saying:
I don't think so.
Yang Yuan looked up at him.
“Since the person who delivered the jade pendant has already seen you, they should have been tracking your whereabouts. But we haven’t found anyone following us on our way from Longmen to here.”
Yang Yuan stared at the porcelain cup in her hand and continued his words: "Either she has found a more suitable candidate, or she is still looking for an opportunity to make her move."
Ah Lu stroked her chin and thought for a moment.
"Logically speaking, although the Immortal Guide in your hand is something that has caught her attention, what else do you have that she would want but dare not forcibly take away?"
Yang Yuan glanced at her palm; the lines were dense and intricate, like vines coiling around prey, torn into countless fragments. She raised her head, staring at the corner of the wall, her eyes suddenly turning sharp.
"Yang Yuan, Yang Yuan, Senior Sister Jiang has been taking me to Hidden Sword Manor a lot lately. It's so big and beautiful there! It's a pity I can't keep you company while you practice your zither all the time..."
"Yang Yuan, Yang Yuan, my senior sister said she's going to take me to Chang'an! I've never been to that place before. I thought Yangzhou was so lively, Chang'an must be even more prosperous!"
Ah Lu noticed her change and immediately asked in a low voice, "What's wrong? Did you remember something?"
Yang Yuan looked at him; A Lu's hair was tied up. The hair that fell across her forehead covered half of her eye color. The only eye that was visible was green, like a deep, unfathomable spring.
She turned around, holding the teacup in her hands.
"It's nothing, just something from the past."
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