“You don’t have any fellow disciples?”
He Xi shook her head. Luo Zhu had not had the intention to accept any disciples. He saved her, and his acceptance of her as a disciple had already broken his precedent. Luo Zhu had been a good shifu, and he had…
“Jiang Ling.” He Xi called, her voice low and hoarse.
I only have you now.
“Mn.” Jiang Ling sensed that He Xi’s spirits had sunken all of the sudden and that she must have recalled some unhappy things. She moved up, taking He Xi into her arms, “I’m here.”
…
He Xi slept fitfully. She was shackled by the human traffickers, dehydrated and starving. She laid there, begging one of the slaves for some water, just one sip…but her hand was kicked away cruelly.
…
“Little girl, you don’t have to follow me.” It was Luo Zhu, his face full of exasperation.
He Xi had followed him the entire way, like a little dog abandoned by its owner. She looked at him with pitiful eyes.
Footprints of varying depths dotted the desert sand behind her.
“Very well, follow me, then.” Luo Zhu’s words gave He Xi a second chance at life. She scampered after him, her eyes sparkling. Just as she went to reach for his hand, Luo Zhu clutched at his chest, his face twisting in pain, and he collapsed to the ground. He Xi’s eyes widened in shock. She rushed over with her emaciated frame, pressing her small hands against the wound on his chest to stop the bleeding. She said, her voice trembling with fear, “Shifu, please don’t go…”
“He Xi.”
Who’s there?
“I’m here.”
…
Jiang Ling consoled her gently, wiping the sweat from her face.
He Xi blinked open her red-tinged eyes, her face wan. Jiang Ling, heart aching, placed a gentle kiss on her forehead, “It’s okay.”
“I dreamed of my shifu.”
“Everything moved so quickly, your shifu wouldn’t blame you.” Jiang Ling brushed the hair at He Xi’s temples, “It’s still dark out, let’s get some sleep.”
He Xi pecked Jiang Ling on the lips, murmuring, “Jiang Ling.”
“What is it?”
“Nothing, just wanted to call you.”
…
Early the following morning, the birds began chirping in the trees.
Jiang Ling helped Grandma Hua straighten up the room. He Xi left a tael of silver at the bedside, then bid Grandma Hua farewell.
Just as the two of them were about to arrive at Jiangdu Town, Jiang Ling received Yun He’s reply.
The letter stated: Due to the importance of the matter, shifu and I will leave within the day.
Jiang Ling considered the timing and reckoned that Yun Yangzi and Yun He were about two days behind them.
As the two of them entered Jiangdu Town, the memories washed over them. Both of them felt a pang of bitterness at heart; the event of three years ago did not sit happily with either of them.
They led the horses along the bustling streets of Jiangdu Town, neither saying a word.
“You’re the young lady from back then, aren’t you?” A middle-aged man stopped them on the road. Based on his clothing he appeared to be an innkeeper. When he saw Jiang Ling’s suspicious look, he clarified, “It was three years ago, you fell off our inn’s roof and seriously injured yourself. Scared me half to death.”
The innkeeper had just gone out to order some roasted chestnuts for his wife when he spotted a lady that looked familiar to him, so he went to them to ask about it.
He Xi coughed. He was the innkeeper during her stay. She had changed her attire so he did not recognize her, but she was the reason that ‘young lady’ he talked about had ‘taken a fall.’
“Uh…” Jiang Ling had been in a coma then and back at the Qingshan Sect by the time she woke up. She had absolutely no recollection of this innkeeper, so she could only smile awkwardly.
“I’m just glad you’re alright.” The innkeeper was thrilled. He had always been afraid that Jiang Ling had met with unfortunate circumstances, and even though the Qingshan Sect never pursued the matter, it had occurred in his inn, after all. Now that he had seen Jiang Ling, hale and hearty, he could let this weight off his shoulders.
The innkeeper enthusiastically offered Jiang Ling a stay at his inn, but was refused by He Xi with a slight smile, “Thank you for your kind intentions, sir, but we have already arranged accommodations for ourselves.”
Since they had already made plans, he did not insist.
“Why did you say no to the innkeeper?” Their funds were under He Xi’s charge. He Xi was not a spendthrift; if there was a way to save money, both of them would take it. The travel expenses they had received from Senior Xue and the wages they had received from Wang Tianqi were almost spent, as well.
Jiang Ling could not wrap her head around it.
“You were badly hurt that day?” He Xi kept her gaze forward and did not answer her. Her voice sounded somewhat muted, so Jiang Ling thought she was just hearing things until He Xi tilted her head to look at her and she realized with a start that she was asking her.
It turned out that the reason that He Xi was unwilling to stay at that inn again was because Jiang Ling’s serious injury lingered in her mind.
“I’m fine.” Jiang Ling tugged on her hand, not letting her feel guilty about it, “I got my inner force back, didn’t I? Maybe it was a blessing in disguise.”
Jiang Ling’s assurances made He Xi feel a little better.
Once they finished making their arrangements, Jiang Ling took out a piece of paper, grabbed a brush with her left hand, dipped it in ink, and wrote: Fratricide.
Jiang Ling was able to use either hand without issue since leaving Xue Fang’s place, but she used her left hand so her handwriting would not be recognizable.
“I will go explore the mountain as soon as it’s night.” Jiang Ling folded the paper and placed it in her sleeve. She frowned, “I really hope it wasn’t Gu Shi-shixiong.”
He Xi was moved by Jiang Ling’s unconditional acceptance of her words, “Should I go with you?”
“No need. I’m familiar with the area, and your qinggong isn’t as fast as mine. It would take too much time.” Jiang Ling said frankly. The back of her hand was pinched by He Xi, and she hurriedly begged for clemency, “I don’t mean to leave you behind.”
He Xi said with concern: “How have you been feeling these past few days.” Since Jiang Ling brought up her inner force, He Xi thought of what Senior Xue told her: Jiang Ling’s inner force was too unruly. Even though Jiang Ling had been practicing her breathing exercises, she could not help but worry, “As soon as you see Gu Shi’s reaction, come back. Don’t fight with anyone.”
When He Xi recalled the events of three years ago, when Jiang Ling, eyes reddened, had risen from the splintered vendor’s stall, she felt that Jiang Ling had had signs of qi deviation, but because she had been so wounded, she had fallen unconscious before it could happen.
He Xi, thinking deeply on it now, connected it with the incident between Jiang Ling and Na Cuo. Although she was not sure what was wrong with her internal force, she could be certain that anytime Jiang Ling went up against someone with a powerful internal force, her own unruly internal force would rise to meet it. If Jiang Ling practiced her martial arts as she had in the past, there would not be these kinds of ‘incidents.’
Jiang Ling noticed the furrows sprouting on He Xi’s forehead and supposed that she was anxious for her, “Don’t worry, I’ve been fine lately. I’ll do as you say and return as soon as possible.”
Jiang Ling took note of the late hour, requested a silver needle from He Xi, put on her night traveling clothes, and headed toward Qingshan Mountain.
After Jiang Ling left, He Xi had nothing to do and went out for a stroll. Jiangdu was still the same as it was before, with the time following dinner the most lively.
People walked about after enjoying their food: some were out for a walk to aid digestion, chatting about trivialities; some brought out their own stalls to earn a bit of change; and some merchants availed themselves of the time to acquire reasonably priced treasures.
People were not bustling about for major matters, nor were the streets packed to the brim. More so, it was the leisurely, homely atmosphere that He Xi liked. Walking with Jiang Ling, shoulder to shoulder, hand in hand, she could forget most of her worries.
“Third shixiong, look at that hairpin. Second shijie would probably like it.” A Qingshan disciple said to Jin Jue, pointing at the hairpin.
A few Qingshan disciples, some familiar to He Xi, were gathered together. She secretly made her way into their blind spot, observing their actions.
Jin Jue picked up the hairpin made of green jade, its style simple and fitting of their second shijie, Yu Qiuyi’s, temperament. Jin Jue was completely satisfied, and, with a pleased smile, bought the hairpin from the vendor.
He Xi’s eyebrows rose. She had seen him before. He had been the sole Qingshan disciple to follow them as the day their caravan left Jiangdu. In the end, he had been stopped by A Na.
He Xi had disliked his proud, intractable bearing, coming to speak business but looking down on them. Now, it seemed that these qualities were somewhat restrained.
She only walked back out of the shadows once the disciples had walked a fair distance away. It was not strange that there would be Qingshan disciples in Jiangdu. When He Xi had seen Jiang Ling staring off absent-mindedly at the tea stall, she had noticed the bamboo pattern on her belt and known that they would definitely see each other again in Jiangdu.
It would likely be the middle of the night by the time Jiang Ling returned, so He Xi bought some cakes.
He Xi went back to the inn. The empty room gave her a pang of loneliness. She had never been an unreasonable person, and she was used to living alone. She supported her forehead and smiled wryly. Jiang Ling had changed her so much; now, she started missing her as soon as she left.
He Xi opened the window and went out onto the rooftop.
She shivered in the chilly wind. How could Jiang Ling even like coming up to the rooftop when she missed her?
It was deep into the night by the time Jiang Ling returned. He Xi was half-dosing as she lay on the bed. He Xi initially wanted to get up and light a candle for her once she knew she came back, but Jiang Ling’s tiptoeing around was really too funny. He Xi wanted to see what else she would pull.
Jiang Ling carefully removed her dew-covered night traveling clothes and gingerly lifted the blanket. Because she had rushed about for the entire journey, her body was burning hot, her heart pounding. He Xi pulled away from the swelter but Jiang Ling would not let her and pulled her into her arms a bit roughly.
Her breathing was unsteady, scalding He Xi down to the bottom of her heart. Her hands did not stop their movements, and they hurriedly untidied He Xi’s belt. Her previous gentleness was gone and replaced by impatience and callousness.
He Xi felt pain, but the unusual temperature of Jiang Ling’s palms left her no room to consider anything else. She hurriedly pulled Jiang Ling up and lit a candle so she could see clearly what was wrong.
The glow of the candlelight illuminated the room. He Xi straightened her clothes and saw the sweat dotting Jiang Ling’s temples, her droopy eyelids, her exhausted expression.
“Feeling unwell?” Most people would need a day for a trip to the Qingshan Sect, but Jiang Ling had made the journey roundtrip in only two hours. To say she was not exhausted would be a lie.
“Mhm.” Jiang Ling rested her head on He Xi’s shoulder, “I felt a fire burning in my heart when we approached Jiangdu.” Every impulse was amplified. She missed He Xi. When she saw that she was asleep, she did not want to disturb her, but after touching her, she could not hold back the burning desire within her; she wanted to set the fire of passion with He Xi.
Jiang Ling murmured, her voice weak and muffled, “He Xi, is there something wrong with me?”