Published at 2nd of April 2019 3:27 am

Chapter 2

This chapter is updated by NovelFree.ml

She has miscalculated. She should not have hankered after the warm morning breeze and chosen this secluded spot in the courtyard to take a nap...

“Xian Yun, will you be coming to my dad’s birthday party next month?”

“Xian Yun will definitely be there to congratulate Elder Deng on his sixtieth birthday. If Xian Yun cannot make it, Cloud Manor will arrange for another person to be there, so Miss Hai Tang (海棠) [meaning: Asiatic Apple blossom, a type of ornamental flower] need not worry.”

The delivery was so polite, it only made his rejection all the more pronounced. The old tree besides her has blocked her from the view of the new comers but it did not block their voices.

Hai Tang, Hai Tang... now she remembered where she heard this name. When He Rong Hua came to look for He Zai this morning, he has intentionally mentioned the name in her presence. According to him, Deng Hai Tang was the No. 1 Beauty in the pugilist world and she was here at Tian He Manor. Because she was so beautiful, her nickname was Hai Tang Fairy.

She perked up at the mention of such a pretty nickname but was quickly put back in place when He Rong Hua gave her a faint look of disdain. She touched her heavily painted face and thought that although the exotic make-up has obscured her original looks, it should have helped in making her look attractive. If He Rong Hua looked down on her looks, did it mean that his Fairy would live up to her nickname?

Her curiosity got the better of her and she stuck her head around the tree to check out the man and woman in the courtyard. The man was back-facing her but she recognized him as the deity-from-nine-heavens from his silver white robes. Although Deity’s looks were only above-average, he carried himself very well and it was pleasant just staring at his back.

As for the woman… she blinked her eyes. She was a rare beauty, but… shouldn’t a Fairy be prettier?

Rumors were indeed exaggerations of the truth. If she had been disappointed with the deity-from-nine-heavens; she had urge to cry when she saw this flower nymph. If she were ten years younger, her utterly disappointment could have driven her to rebel and become a demoness for real.

Turning back, she decided to continue napping. When she was looking at the couple, she had felt the emotional distance between the two despite their physical closeness. And the distance was intentionally put there by deity-from-nine-heavens.

“Xian Yun… you are twenty-six this year… do you not wish to…”

“Miss Deng,” His voice was polite as ever. “it is not that I do not wish to marry. I have met many ladies in the Central Plains but none of them is the one I want.” In other words, he is not the least bit interested even if you are the No. 1 Beauty. Wang Yun could almost hear his impatience, which was getting more and more palpable.

“Not even I… even I…”

This time, his words were even more direct: “Hero is a definite match for Beauty, but Xian Yun can never be your hero.”

Hai Tang was not giving up. “Xian Yun, you said that you have not met the girl you like in the Central Plains. Are the rumors true then that the one you like is Che Yan Yan from Bai Ming Sect? You hoard your smiles from everyone but you smiled at Che Yan Yan…”

Wang Yun nearly fell off from her railing. Deity-from-nine-heavens with man-lover Che Yan Yan? What a good match!

Still, she did not wish to eavesdrop further and risk endangering her life. If she did not know what they were talking about, all this would naturally become none of her business. But how should she escape? Climb a tree, or try to sneak out?

In the end, she chose to stay put and tune out all conversation happening around her. With her eyes closed, she discovered that she was actually quite tired and she slowly slipped into slumber.

When she was young, she had feared that Sect Leader would poison her, so she tried consuming small amounts of poison every day to increase her tolerance level for toxin. Unfortunately, she could not bear the pain and gave up the training eventually. She was at fault for being lazy and thinking that she could depend on He Zai to keep poison at bay. In the end, the person closest to her was the one who poisoned her…

She was unaware of dozing off but when she woke up, the surroundings were quiet. She should be relieved that she managed to remain undetected but something made her uneasy and she opened her eyes abruptly. And saw someone beside her.

A polite voice floated down. “Miss Wang is awake.”

Thank goodness she has mastered her poker face! She sighed inwardly and greeted Gong Sun Yun, who was leaning against another railing.

His refine air was really much more attractive than his looks. Looking at him, she thought that his eyes were probably his best feature - had they not look like stagnant pools from the utter lack of any emotion in them. Where was the x-factor that that has charmed everyone? What did Hai Tang Fairy and Che Yan Yan see in him? Is it for his talent or status? She decided to feign innocence and asked drowsily: “Have I fallen asleep?”

“You have been sleeping for a while. Probably soon after I have rejected Miss Deng.”

This man was indeed highly skilled in kungfu to be able to discern the changes in her breathing pattern. She stared at him for a while before saying slowly: “Gentleman Xian Yun, it was not my intention to eavesdrop.” It was best to make this absolutely clear in case he bear a grudge.

“I know Miss Wang did not mean to eavesdrop, or you would not have fallen asleep. Can you give me your hand and let me take your pulse?” Seeing her surprise, his lips curved up involuntarily before he resisted the urge to smile. “Although my Fifth Brother is better then me in the arts of healing, I also have a little medical knowledge as a practitioner of martial arts.”

Since it was unlikely that he would kill her by holding her hand, she graciously extended her right hand for him.

“Is it not convenient to give me your left hand?”

“My Sky Slave bangle is worn on my left hand and I worry that Gentleman Xian Yun will take offence.”

He placed his fingers gently above her pulse and asked: “Sky Slave bangles are usually worn on both hands for woman. Why did Miss Wang only have one?”

“Sigh. Protector Huang Fu was the one who put it on for me. In any case, I could only obey if she wishes to put ten bangles on me. How would I dare to have asked why?”

“Who is the person who gave you your medicine today?”

“He Zai prepared the medicine personally so Gentleman Xian Yun need not worry that someone would poison me again.”

She knew she was a patient person, but wasn’t Deity taking too long with her pulse?

Finally he removed his hand. “There is nothing wrong with Miss Wang now. I remembered that the medication prescribed by Fifth Brother consist three-fifths of herbs that are able to remove poison, and two-fifths of herbs that aims to strengthen the body. Gauging by the time now, Miss Wang should be down to your last two packets of medicine.”

She was a little taken back. He had paid a lot of attention, down to the contents of her medication. Wasn’t she merely a Sky Slave? What had drawn him to her? Thinking back on yesterday, he was also the first person to realize that she has been poisoned. If he was not focusing on her, he could not have reacted the moment she fainted.

She was still trying to think of a reason for his attention when she noticed that he has taken out a handkerchief. The hanky was pristine white and has neither words nor pattern - ah, so Deity has a cleanliness streak! But even if her skin is the color of honey, surely she is not filthy? Did he need to wipe his hands quite so slowly and thoroughly?

“Miss Wang is looking at my handkerchief… do you need it?”

“Thank you, there is no need. I have my own.” And she took out her own colorful hanky. Every year, she would change the design of her hankies. Last year’s design was mandarin ducks, the year before was chrysanthemum. She noticed he was staring at her hanky. Was something wrong?

It hit on her suddenly that when Gong Sun Yun was talking to Deng Hai Tang, he was polite but aloof and would refer to himself as “Xian Yun”. However when talking to her, he would use “I” to refer to himself.

She has learnt to be wary when a person deviates from his normal behavior. Especially when the abnormality involved her, her inner alarm would go into double duty. She jumped down from her resting spot and smiled at him. “Gentleman Xian Yun has been very kind and I shall not thank you verbally. Instead, I will remember the care and concern that you and Fifth Gentleman has showered on me in my heart, and will not forget it even when I am back in Bai Ming Sect.”

“A Sky Slave could not have left Bai Ming Sect without his Master’s consent. Is Miss Wang sure you could return?”

She blinked. “Who said I did not have my Master’s permission? I have Left Protector’s blessing to be here!” There was a saying in the Central Plains that it never hurt to have more manners, so she bade her leave politely. Just when she turned around she heard him called her name.

She plastered on a smile before she turned around to face him and saw him walking towards her. For a moment, she was struck by his way he moved with his robes billowing behind him. The phrase "graceful as wild geese; fluid like dragon; in splendor brighter than the autumn chrysanthemum; in bloom more flourishing than evergreen pines" suddenly popped into her mind. This phrase was from a poetic essay she read in her younger days describing the beautiful Water Fairy, Luo Shen. At that time, she has thought if there ever was a beauty like the one described in the poem, she would likely come from the Central Plains, which was why she was so interested to check out Deng Hai Tang earlier.

It was a pity that Deng Hai Tang fell short of her expectations for the Water Fairy but here was a man that she thought would fit the bill. If He Zai knew about this, would he laugh at her for misuse of language? How could the description for the Water Fairy be used on a man?

He called her name again and jolted her out of her daze. She looked at the bright sun hanging overhead, and blinked several times to clear her vision so that the person she saw in front of her was simply Gong Sun Yun. The illusion was probably caused by a combination of the sun and the fact that she had not fully recovered. Otherwise, if a man was the Water Fairy, what could she a woman, be?

She smiled and finally replied him: “Gentleman Xian Yun, is anything else the matter?”

He took out a small box from his vest. “Has Miss Wang guessed who poisoned you?”

“I was foolish to believe that there were only righteous heroes in this place, and did not expect someone to poison me. As for the culprit… sigh, since I am in the Central Plains, I think it is best for me to let the matter rest.” She decided to deflect all suspicions to the righteous pugilists.

He did not argue. “If that is the case, you have be more careful. This is the Thousand Cleansing Pill that could neutralize a thousand type of poison. Please keep it in case you have a need for it one day.”

She was amazed and did not take the offered box immediately. Not only are they big on etiquette in the Central Plains, it also extend to offering gifts? After a while, she smiled and said: “Thank you for your concern. However, I could not accept such expensive medicine...”

“If you are unfortunate enough to be poisoned again, your body will get hurt even if the person has held back. If you think you could have been poisoned, take one pill immediately. Even if it could not neutralize the poison, it will help protect your vital organs.”

She understood his hidden meaning – the person who poisoned her was someone close to her. Finally she could understand why a flock of beauties have fallen for him. This man was obviously a very caring person. She believed some famous people viewed thewulin as their home and felt a sense of duty to undertake a parental role... and he was probably one such parent-cum-cleanliness-freak!

She looked at the box and smiled. “Thank you very much for kindness then. Should there be a day that Gentleman needs my help, please do not hesitate to tell me.” She did not believe a father figure would ask a little Sky Slave for help. Besides, it may not be easy to find her once she disappeared from here.

She tried to take the box with both hands but found that he was exerting his hold on the box. She knew something was up but she did not meet his eyes and waited for him to speak. “Actually, we are only helping each other. A long time ago, a young lady has helped me too.”

Surely she did not need to know about his past?

“Perhaps to her, it was just a small matter. But to me, I have always remembered her in my heart. For the past few years, I have been waiting for her to come to me with my jade pendant but she never showed up. Considering the environment she grew up in, she has managed to survive without receiving help from anybody. Should I say that she is really intelligent? Or that she is the fittest survivor?”

She met his eyes and smiled: “I did not know Gentleman have such a past. No wonder you paid so much attention to a nobody like me! Gentleman, please rest assured that should I meet someone who needed help in the future, I will do my best to help him and pass on the spirit of your good deed.”

He looked at her thoughtfully and finally released his hold on the box. Someone called her name and it was Fifth Gentleman. He greeted her warmly before turning to Gong Sun Yun. “Che Yan Yan from Bai Ming Sect is at the main hall and she says she is here to pay her last respects. However, I think it is more likely that she is here to make trouble.”

Gong Sun Yun frowned and turned to Wang Yun. “Miss Wang, since the Left and Right Protectors of Bai Ming Sect seldom see eye to eye, I think you should remain here and stay away from the hall.”

“That is of course, that is of course.” and she very respectfully watched them leave.

And sighed.

This was a no-brainer. Che Yan Yan would definitely spot He Zai, who at this very moment was beside Manor Master He Rong Hua. What should she do? Dump He Zai while she escape? Had she known it would turn out like this, she would not have permitted He Zai to come to Tian He Manor and simply hightail out of the pugilist world.

“I just knew He Zai would become my death spot one day.” She felt like a bird in cage - no matter how she tried, she could not seem to escape from the control of Sect Leader. If there is no He Zai, will her future be any easier? If there is no He Zai…

She looked at the embroidered box in her hand and smiled. It was best not to have too many ties. She was only an ordinary girl and would not dream to catch any deity-from-nine-heavens, much less mention any jade pendants.

In any case, she did not recall ever owning a jade pendant.

With that, she threw away the embroidered box and strode towards the hall.

***

"Gentleman Xian Yun.” said an attractive woman dressed in flaming red. When she saw the person she was pining for, she quickly reined in the tantrum she was throwing and turn all solicitous. She remembered that this man is very big on civilized conversations.

“Protector Che, it has been a long time.” His glance landed on He Rong Hua. He could only do so much in certain matters and now was the time for the Master of the Manor to take the lead.

He Rong Hua rein in his temper with difficulty and forced out: “I thank Protector Che for crossing thousands of miles in order to pay respects to my late father.”

Che Yan Yan ignored him and smiled prettily at Gong Sun Yun. “Xian Yun, how I wish I could say I am here for you. Unfortunately, I am here under the orders of my Master to deliver a present.”

He Rong Hua replied: “There is no relation between your sect and Tian He Manor, but we appreciate your Sect Leader’s kind intention in our hearts.”

Che Yan Yan gave a cold laugh. “How can you say that there is no relation? Is the Eldest Master of Tian He Manor not a Sky Slave of Bai Ming Sect?”

He Rong Hua glanced towards He Zai and bit out: “Protector Che must be joking. My eldest brother has died of an illness ten years ago. Are you trying to make trouble by spreading such lies of my brother at my father’s funeral?”

Che Yan Yan continued to smile. “My, just how many young masters from prominent pugilist families have died of illnesses over the past ten over years?” She pointed a slender finger to the Sky Slaves behind her - all were masked, barefooted, and marked with a Sky Slave bangle on their ankles. “Do you want to make a bet with me that if I get them to remove their masks, how many dead people would suddenly come back to life?”

Among those present, many who were above thirty years of age, paled at her words.

Outside the hall, Wang Yun sighed. Besides her someone else sighed as well.

“Fifth Gentleman, are you not going to lend a hand?” She has walked to the hall at a snail’s speed. The moment he saw her, Gong Sun Zhi has joined her to enjoy, no, angst over what was happening in the hall.

“There is not much I can do. Xian Yu’s kungfu is better than mine. I will only be more hindrance then help if I go in.”

“Oh I see. Can I ask Fifth Gentleman how do you people handle such situations usually? What would you do to people who are here to create trouble?”

“Xian Yun does not recommend that we use force.”

This was such a pity, she felt like recommending him to kill whoever that blocked his way, which would be so cool. Sigh. It was best if she could kill a person using someone else’s sword - too bad someone was not obliging. She looked towards He Zai, who whether intentionally or no, has chosen to stand at the entrance of the inner hall as if guarding it.

She stroked her jade flute and glanced at the ten over Sky Slaves in the hall. Che Yan Yan likes to take in Sky Slaves, especially those who are skilled in kungfu. This woman also likes to make her presence felt and will bring along her Sky Slaves wherever she goes. The Sky Slaves were controlled by drugs so it was extremely difficult for them to escape and even more difficult for them to seek death. She chewed her lips and continued her contemplation.

Che Yan Yan looked at everyone in the hall. She was surprised when she spotted He Zai behind He Rong Hua and spoke before she could hold back the words. “Sect Leader is really clever and knew exactly of her whereabouts. I like to see where she can escape to in her lifetime?” The words fell into the ears of Gong Sun Yun who was the nearest to her.

Che Yan Yan asked with glee: “He Zai, where is your Master?”

She did not press further when he remained silent. “Our Sect Leader is wise and knew that Huang Fu Yun is hiding here. Both of you have always been like each other’s shadow and where one is, the other will be nearby. By orders of our Sect Leader, Huang Fu Yun is to present his gift personally to Tian He Manor. Huang Fu Yun, are you not going to show yourself?”

After a long while, no one appeared. “Huang Fu Yun, dare you disobey!?”

“Aren’t I here now?” rang a clear voice from outside the hall. For a moment, all anyone could see was a swathe of red as young woman in flowing red robes strolled into the hall with her hands folded behind her. The woman was none other than Wang Yun, the one with a Sky Slave tattoo on her face.

He Rong Hua and Go Shao De were shocked. “You…”

Wang Yun walked towards Gong Sun Yun – no, on second thoughts, this spot was not so safe – and strolled with pretended nonchalance to stand beside He Zai. “Protector Che, I have rushed across thousands of miles to Tian He Manor and has beat you to reach here by a day. Did you perchance stop somewhere to play during your journey?”

Che Yan Yan was not bothered by her accusation. “What rubbish are you sprouting?”

“I am not sprouting rubbish. Whatever orders Master gave you, he gave the same to me. He always like to pit us against the other and this time, you have lost. However, since our emperor is far away, I can let you claim the credit.” She took the long box from a Sky Slave behind Che Yan Yan and continued. “I have the exact same gift but I have given mine to Tian He Manor yesterday so you can return yours to Master….” She opened the box and froze.

Che Yan Yan’s lips curved. “To think I was nearly taken in by you. Huang Fu Yun, the thing in the box is unique and there is only one of its kind in the world. Sect Leader knows your every move so he also knows about the things you let He Zai bury all those years ago.”

The box contained a set of young man’s clothing, boots, sword, and some equipment used for tattooing. Although the clothes were old, the mark of Tian He Manor could clearly be seen on the hems. Although the sword has rusted, it was still recognizable as the custom-made weapon for the former Young Master of Tian He Manor. The tattoo equipment bore the mark of Sky Slaves from Bai Ming Sect.

A victor will go with the flow and Wang Yun sighed. “Alright. It seems I could not outsmart Sect Leader afterall. I will follow you back.”

Che Yan Yan made a gesture and her Sky Slave presented a white handkerchief to her straightaway. After she has cleaned her hands carefully, she put on a pair of specially made gloves.

While Wang Yun’s eyes followed her every move, Che Yan Yan did not bother with her and turned towards Gong Sun Yun. Giving him a brilliant smile, she said: “Xian Yun. Cloud Manor has always maintained a neutral position on wulin matters. Besides recording what happened, Cloud Manor will not interfere in whatever happens. Did I remember this rule correctly?"

“Our rules are indeed so.”

Che Yan Yan smiled. “Once I have settled this matter, I would love to catch up with you.”

“Xian Yun does not have anything to catch up with Protector Che.”

A flash of temper flashed across her eyes. She curled her lips and decided to vent her anger on Wang Yun. “Upon orders from Master, your Sky Slave has left Bai Ming sect without permission. As the eldest son of the He family, He Zai shall whip the coffin thrice in punishment. Huang Fu Yun, accept the order!”

Wang Yun lowered her eyes and stroked her jade flute.

“Huang Fu Yun!”

He Rong Hua could remain silent no longer. “This is Tian He Manor and is not the place for a demoness from the Evil Sect to throw your weight around!”

“He Yue Hua is now a member of the Evil Sect too. Master He, do you not fear that your position will be replaced if your brother returns to the manor? Are you not worried of bringing shame to the manor?”

“You…” He Rong Hua wanted to rebut further, but he held back when he saw the number of avid listeners around him. It was very shameful when a member of one’s family became a Sky Slave. If anyone tried to help, he or she would also have to bear the brunt of the wagging tongues when the news got out. Even if his father was highly regarded when he was alive, he was dead now and what was left for him was only goodwill . And whoever who lends a hand would also measure his goodwill against the benefit it would bring…

Wang Yun gave a long-suffering sigh and said listlessly: “Protector Che, you are making things difficult for me. He Zai is my only Sky Slave. If I ordered him to whip his father’s coffin, it is akin to making him hate me for the rest of his life.”

“That is the order from Master. Do you dare to reject?”

“Protector Che. You are also making an enemy of the Central Plains wulin by doing so.” Wang Yun analyzed the situation for her patiently. “Both sides have been co-existing peacefully for many years and there is no need to rock the boat. Historically, the Master of our sect is always chosen among the Left or Right Protectors. Based on our capabilities, my guess is that that next sect leader will be you. But if you acted out today, you will also be the one who would have to pick up after the mess. Why would you want to bring suffering upon yourself?”

“Huang Fu Yun, you really are a disgrace to Bai Ming Sect! Men, drag the coffin out!”

Seeing that she refused to listen to reason, Wang Yun flipped her sleeves in anger: “You know full well the extent of Huang Fu family martial arts. Both He Zai and myself are gifted learners who has benefitted from the guidance of Huang Fu skills. Che Yan Yan, are you sure you wanted to go against me?”

“It is not me who is going against you. Rather, you are the one who is going against Bai Ming Sect. Huang Fu Yun, you are the one who is seeking trouble for yourself!”

Wang Yun shouted ”He Zai!” and quickly stepped back.

In the next instant, He Zai has flashed past her with a short sword in hand. Before anyone could even figure where his weapon came from, He Zai was already weaving among the Sky Slaves, his movements quick as lightning.

Wang Yun has turned around and did not at the fight. She fingered her jade flute as if victory is already within grasp.

He Rong Hua stared but could not find the words. Finally, he could only manage: “That set of skills is not from the He family.” He remembered that his brother has mastered the family martial arts when he was sixteen and his father had been greatly pleased at that time.

Wang Yun did not look at him. “I made him got rid of his He family martial arts.”

At his glare, she smiled: “The He family martial arts could not even match ten blows against Huang Fu family’s. Why should he retain such kungfu?”

“He is but a lowly Sky Slave in Bai Ming Sect, why did you let him learn the kungfu of the Huang Fu family?”

When she did not reply, He Rong Hua continued: “And why are you not helping my brother? Since both of you trained in the Huang Fu martial arts, will you not have a higher chance to defeat Che Yan Yan if you join forces?”

Wang Yun shot him a look before she lowered her eyes. “Protector Che is one of our top fighters. Why should I remove her to make you happy? Besides, given He Zai’s opposition against Protector of Bai Ming Sect today, he would have gained credit for defending his father. Even if his life is going to be difficult if he chose to stay in the Central Plains in future, at least it would not be a situation where everyone would want to kill him and mutilate his corpse.”

He Rong Hua was silent – how did this woman know he wanted to keep his brother at Tian He Manor?

Wang Yun twirled her hair and said suddenly: “Mind if I see the coffin?” and she walked into the inner hall without waiting for his reply. Her suspicions were confirmed when she heard some footsteps behind her. Sigh, it is really unlucky to see a coffin. If she had a choice, she would not have chosen to come in.

She noticed that the lid of the coffin has been nailed shut. In other words, it now contained the true body of Old Master He. She knew this was all for He Zai, or else the person would not have followed her.

As she stood in front of the coffin, she could feel a long whip lashing down in her direction. She forced herself to remain still and clasp her hand as if in prayer.

The whip did not make contact.

She was saved! She discreetly wiped her sweaty palms. After years of practice, she has mastered the ability to keep her face expressionless even when her heart is gripped with fear. Now, it is not even obvious when she breaks out in cold sweat. Endurance – she could probably be hailed a master in endurance.

The male voice was cold. “Protector Che! Are you sure you wanted to whip the deceased?”

Che Yan Yan was furious. “Xian Yun! Are you protecting the coffin or the person!”

Of course he is protecting the coffin! Wang Yun silently thanked Old Master He for protecting her even in death. It was indeed worth the times that she has helped He Zai.

She has counted on the fact that today’s coffin would contain the real body, which was why she came in to seek refuge from a coffin. Given the circumstances today, even the legendary Gentleman Xian Yun would be forced to interfere in order to stop Che Yan Yan from humiliating the body of a respected pugilist.

And it worked!

She sighed inwardly and turned around to face Che Yan Yan. “Protector Che, you have seen with your own eyes. With so many skilled pugilists around, I need not even draw my sword; just one Gentleman Xian Yun is able to stop you. It is obvious that he would not allow you to humiliate the deceased and you…. if he is in your heart, you should let him have his way!” Her eyes drifted to the black whip coiled in Gong Sun Yun’s hands and could not prevent from breaking out into cold sweat.

Judging from the angle of the attack, Che Yan Yan was obviously aiming for her! Her real intention is probably to get rid of her among all the confusion.

Wang Yun continued. “You have already obeyed Master’s orders. But do you really think he wanted you to whip the coffin? That is but his way of testing our loyalty and having some fun with the people in Tian He Manor.”

Che Yan Yan gave her a considering look. “Why would Master think that?”

“Because that is just the way he is!”

Chee Yan Yan was silent and a strange expression crossed her face. “Huang Fu Yun, why are you always able to second guess the Sect Leader? Master did say that if you can guess his real intentions, I would have to stop making a scene.”

Wang Yun took a deep breath - life is wonderful; she took another deep breath – even though there is Sect Leader, life is still wonderful. Her blood was boiling but she managed a wan smile. “Protector Che, that is because you were too busy seeking fun amongst the flowers while I ponder on his divine orders every day until my hair is turning white. Unlike me, you only grow more and more alluring. In fact, if there is a man who is not charmed by you, he is probably not a man to begin with.”

She stared pointedly at Gong Sun Yun, fervently hoping he would smile or say something to placate Che Yan Yan.

He returned her look with an icy glare.

Ok, she asked for this one. But what is the use of looks if one does not use it to his advantage?

Che Yan Yan called her Sky Slaves to cease fighting. She did not attempt to count the number of survivors when He Zai returned to stand beside Wang Yun. “You are so nice to your Sky Slave to impart your family skills to him.”

“A person cannot be selfish. Besides He Zai is very loyal to me and I can’t really ill-treat him, is it not?” She flicked her wrist and He Zai sheathed his sword back in her flute.

“Both of us would need to return to the sect.” Che Yan Yan turned towards Gong Sun Yun and sweetened her tone. “If Xian Yun is escorting me, I will be willing to set off immediately.”

Wang Yun was floored from the whiplash. She knew this woman likes to hunt for quality man, but surely this turnabout is too fast? They were still fighting a moment ago…. she sighed and turned to contemplate the wall.

She will not interfere in affairs of the heart. Deity-of-nine-heavens will never set his heart on someone from the Evil Sect. Besides, she did not believe Che Yan Yan really loves Deity either…. she continued to admire the plain white wall in front of her.

He Zai called to her. “Miss.”

She decided to be gracious. “I am not an unreasonable person. I will let you go if you wanted to continue staying here.”

She sighed when he did not reply. “Yesterday, you asked me why Old Master has been disguised. The answer is actually very simple - if the body is a guise and yet He Rong Hua and Gong Sun Yun acted unaware, the answer could only be that they were in it together. Can you guess why?”

He Zai looked at the coffin and lowered his eyes.

“I think the Old Master has regretted what he did.” She focused on a particular spot on the wall. “The Old Master must have felt extremely sore when you became a Sky Slave, but instead of trying to rescue you from Bai Ming Sect, he let out news of your death. If I am not wrong, he probably regretted his actions when he was near death.”

He Rong Hua entered the inner hall. “Exactly. Although Miss Huang Fu was not around when my father passed away, you have read his mind correctly…. Big Brother! Father has regretted his decision several years ago. He could not find you and sought the help of Gentleman Xian Yun to hide his body and delay his burial. If you still remember your father, you would definitely try to return for his funeral. If you can recognize that the body is fake, it would prove that you have not forsaken the skills you have learnt to be able to see though the guise. If you tried to pursue the matter further, it would show that the father-son relationship has not been severed and that you are still the same you. Tian He Manor will be yours and the title of Manor Master will be yours. Regardless if you are a Sky Slave or not, you will always be a son of the He family!”

So touching. She touched her nose to check that she has controlled her tears. This was why He Zai had chosen to poison her – so that he could stay in Tian He Manor to discover the truth... but can he not be so coldhearted and poison himself instead of her? Thinking that she should give the brothers room to talk, she started to leave the room.

Actually, she is a rather pitiful herself. Everyone seems to be part of a pair while she is the only being chased around. Looking around, she was surprised to see Gong Sun Yun still around while there was no trace of Che Yan Yan. Yet he did not seem to be in a hurry to leave. On second thoughts, that was reasonable too since he was a historian who was supposed to record what happened today.

She walked to him and said: ”Gentleman Xian Yun, thank you for your help earlier on.”

“I was only protecting the coffin and not protecting the person. I hope Miss Yun got that clear.” He emphasized “protecting the person” and she smiled as she pretended not to have heard. “Of course, of course. So… will Gentleman Xian Yun be escorting us from the Central Plains?”

Or to put it another way, to keep tabs on them until they were out of the Central Plains.

“To prevent further misunderstandings with Protector Che, I will not be the one doing the sendoff and will instead ask an elder to help.

Wang Yun digested this news with a frown - this sounded like they were being chased out. Although their movements were going to be monitored no matter what, how this was to be done have different impact. If he was the one sending them off, at least Che Yan Yan would be leaving willingly.

She disliked being in the same room with Che Yan Yan. That woman had a bad habit of killing people when she was in a bad mood, and she did not bother to remove the bodies after the deed. If it was her, she would have at least dug a grave,or get ready some acid to dissolve the body before she strike… of course, this was all theoretical because she would not kill. Nope, not kill, not kill.

He appeared unconcerned and was contented to continue exchanging stares with her. But from the set of his brows, he seemed to be waiting for something.

She took another deep breath. Since coming to the Central Plains, she found that there were more instances when she needed to take in more air. This could be because the word ‘endurance’ (忍) has a knife (刃) on top of the heart (心). When a knife is hanging in the air above the heart…. one will need more air.

She asked very humbly: “Are you really not going to send us off? Is there no chance of it happening?”

“Well, there may be a way….”

“I remembered…. Gentleman Xian Yun mentioned before that you have received help from someone before?” She said this rather unwillingly.

“Yes.” His top-grade skin was like the ancient mountains - no change whatsoever.

“To repay the person, you have given her a pendant?” At his nod, she sighed. “Now that you mentioned this, it sounds similar to an incident of my youth. I remembered lending a hand to someone under very casual circumstance… and he also gave me a jade pendant.”

He continued to look unimpressed. “I hope Miss Yun is not simply building on my story and trying to pull a fast one on me.”

“Why would I do so? I remember the pendant looks…”

He interrupted very politely. “Everyone in the pugilist world knew there were three jade pendants in Cloud Manor. My pendant is shaped like a gourd with a piece of cloud swirling at the top. Since becoming a “Gentleman” at the age of thirteen, the words “Xian Yun” has been engraved on the jade. Even a person who has never seen the jade would be able to describe it quite well.”

She stared at him for a good long while before she slowly took out something from her left sleeve, then the right sleeve. When she passed the items to him, he did not blink but his normally dull eyes have taken on a sparkle.

“If you put these pieces together, would it look like Gentleman Xian Yun’s jade pendant?”

“Yes, this is mine.”

She sighed. “Who would have guessed that I am the benefactor of Gentleman Xian Yun?”

“I have been wanting to repay the great favor bestowed by Miss Yun.” His appeared rather smug and eyes were shinning.

“Gentleman Xian Yun can take this chance to repay me , and once you have done so, you can put all thoughts of repayment behind you. Can I trouble you to escort Che Yan Yan and myself out of the Central Plains. I will be so grateful if you can do that.”

- - - - - - - - -

Gong Sun Yun, twenty-six, reunited with his sweetheart

and was inseparable from her since.

- Wulin Annals

Recorded by Xian Yun -

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