Chapter 5
Chapter 5
I was silent for a long time.
Under his trembling gaze, I withdrew my hands.
“I have no room in my heart for such thoughts now.”
Ning Buchen was not discouraged.
“Does that include thoughts of Xie Qingxing?”
I nodded.
“Then I can wait, Senior Sister.” His eyes curved with a happiness he could not hide. “I waited through all those years without hope. Now I can remain openly at your side. That is already more than I had before.”
I looked at him and sighed.
“Foolish child.”
I meant him.
And I meant the woman I had once been.
Half a month later, Ning Buchen, several junior sisters, and I stood before the entrance to the Tianchi Realm.
Fortune favored me. The realm opened only once every three years, and I had arrived at exactly the right time.
Strictly speaking, I was in no condition to enter a mystic realm.
But once plucked, a Phoenix-Cry Flower withered in the time it took a stick of incense to burn. Ning Buchen and the others could never carry it out to me in time.
I had to retrieve it myself.
My master had reached the Soul-Transformation realm and could no longer enter. She stuffed me with more protective treasures than I could count, then repeatedly warned Ning Buchen and my junior sisters to keep me safe.
Looking at the concern on her face, I felt guilt tighten in my chest.
She merely stroked my hair.
“Who does not make a few foolish mistakes when they are young? Youth is reckless. You loved him, and so you loved him. The mistake itself is not frightening. What is frightening is knowing you were wrong and lacking the courage to turn back.”
With a deep rumble, a narrow fissure opened in the Tianchi Realm.
Ning Buchen rose on his sword and extended a hand to me.
I had just placed mine in his when a hoarse voice came from behind.
“Chunruo?”
I looked back.
Xie Qingxing stood there, his face cold, staring at my hand clasped in Ning Buchen’s.
A dark storm seemed to gather in his eyes.
“What are the two of you doing?”
He stood against the wind.
Behind him, Meng Zhiyuan clung to his sleeve and peered out with half her face hidden.
I smiled politely. “Senior Brother Xie. Valley Master Meng. What a coincidence.”
Xie Qingxing faltered.
He seemed never to have imagined that I might one day look at him with such calm, even courtesy.
Whenever I saw him before, my eyes had shone.
Love always found a way to spill from the eyes.
Now there was nothing.
Meng Zhiyuan looked at me, then at Xie Qingxing, and guilt crossed her face.
She leaned farther out. “Immortal Wei, I didn’t know that you and the Sword Lord were marrying that day. What I did was terribly discourteous, and I was at fault. But I truly had no choice. Other than the Sword Lord, there was no one I could ask for help…”
“Senior Sister,” Ning Buchen said, tightening his hand and drawing me onto his sword, “am I remembering incorrectly? I seem to recall that Valley Master Meng is also close to Senior Brother Mo of First Sword Sect, Senior Brother Chen of Hehuan Sect, and Senior Brother Tang of Yuejian Mountain.”
My youngest junior sister picked up his cue at once.
“Do you even need to ask? Those three senior brothers must all have had matters more important than getting married. That’s why Valley Master Meng couldn’t turn to them.”
“Only our Senior Brother Xie had nothing but a trivial bonding ceremony on his schedule. Naturally he had time to rescue a damsel in distress.”
Meng Zhiyuan bit her lip. Her face went white, but she could find no answer.
For once, Xie Qingxing did not immediately defend her.
“Chunruo.”
His gaze remained fixed on me as he reached out a hand. “Come here.”
I smiled faintly. “Wouldn’t three people be too crowded on Senior Brother Xie’s sword?”
He misunderstood.
Apparently believing I was merely sulking, his expression eased.
“Then you should have Junior Sister Du carry you. Men and women must observe proper boundaries. You and I are still betrothed, and you should not behave this way with Junior Brother Ning.”
“What way?”
I caught Ning Buchen by the sleeve, my smile turning mocking. “The way you behave with Valley Master Meng?”
“Chunruo!” Anger rose on Xie Qingxing’s face. “Little Dumpling and I have always been open and honorable. We have never crossed a line!”
My youngest junior sister rolled her eyes. “Customs must be different elsewhere. On Yuzhao Peak, embracing someone else’s fiancé certainly counts as crossing a line.”
Ning Buchen raised two fingers.
“Two corrections. First, it also counts as crossing a line on Wuxiang Peak. Second, Senior Sister has already ended the engagement. He is no longer anyone’s fiancé.”
“Ended the engagement?”
Xie Qingxing stared at me, all color draining from his face. “What engagement?”
I took a paper crane from my storage pouch and released it. It fluttered unsteadily toward him.
“Senior Brother Xie, I reported the matter to the sect. My master and Peak Master Xie both agreed to dissolve our engagement.”
“I tried to tell you, but the crane could not find you.”
“I do not agree.”
The crane disintegrated in Xie Qingxing’s hand. He stared at me, his eyes black with turmoil. “I do not agree. I will not end our engagement.”
He urged his sword closer and reached for my wrist.
Ning Buchen brought two fingers together like a blade. A burst of frigid sword energy forced Xie Qingxing back.
Xie Qingxing’s face grew colder. He crooked his fingers, summoned a dead branch into his hand, and wielded it as a sword against Ning Buchen.
Another spiritual blade intercepted the blow.
My youngest junior sister glared at him. “Fight after we finish our business! We’re here to find medicine for Senior Sister. If you keep pestering her, don’t blame us for attacking you together!”
Xie Qingxing looked at me.
I stood with one hand around Ning Buchen’s arm and met his gaze without flinching.
His star-cold eyes darkened further.
“Fine.”
He dropped the branch. “Valley Master Meng and I are also entering the Tianchi Realm to find something. We will travel with you.”
At the words Valley Master Meng, Meng Zhiyuan’s face turned even paler. She clasped her hands tightly together.
My junior sister glanced at me in silent question.
I did not refuse.
Xie Qingxing was proud and stubborn. Even if I said no, he would follow us.
There was no reason to waste my breath.
I smiled. “Very well. With Senior Brother Xie along, we can watch out for one another.”
“Chunruo.” His gaze stayed on my face. “Must you speak to me like a stranger?”
I acted as though I had not heard.
“Buchen, let’s go.”