Jianghu (un mundo de artes marciales) - No te cortes

Capítulo 15

"Huh?" She blinked, then nodded obediently, "Yes!"

"Do you...do you love me, or do you love that bygone era and the once glorious martial world?" He hardened his heart, frowned, and asked, then gritted his teeth and said cruelly, "The Xuan Sheng you knew is gone. Now, I'm just a newcomer to the martial world, without the legendary martial arts skills everyone talks about, nor the chivalrous spirit to fight injustice. I just want to gather the herbs to cure Shao Hua's illness, go back, marry, have children, and then live a peaceful life in Half-Moon City." Seeing her face turn slightly pale, he couldn't help but gently persuade her, "Is someone like me worth you risking your life for?"

Shuang Jing remained silent, sitting there motionless, her eyes devoid of any emotion, except for a slight change in expression when she heard the name of the other party's fiancée. After a long while, she stood up, sighed, and looked up at the surrounding scenery, which was filled only with white smoke: "Is this question very important to you?"

"It must be more important to you. My mind is made up, and I won't change it," Xuan Sheng thought to himself, ignoring the slight wavering of uncertainty.

Taking his silence as agreement, Shuangjing turned her head and smiled, winking at him: "Then I'll answer you if you let me touch your pectoral muscles!"

"..."

Why did I have such a crazy expectation that 'she would have a moment of normal logical thinking'? Xuan Sheng could only stand frozen in place, unable to move, letting his inner self scream and roar in frustration.

But at that time, when the moon was like a thin veil of jade, and the silver light poured down like a flowing spring, it revealed the girl's delicate features. Half of her face was hidden in the dark blue night, leaving only her long eyelashes and a faint smile.

A forced, strained smile.

So he didn't dare ask any more questions.

Suddenly at that moment, a rustling sound was heard. Before Shuang Jing could turn her head, Xuan Sheng had already protected her. Two beams of light swayed and approached. Then, Che Shui's bright smile and Mei Hua's angry face appeared in front of them.

"Ahhhhh... Xiao Jing ahhhhh!!" Without saying a word, she rushed over. Che Shui immediately grabbed her shoulders excitedly, looking her up and down, almost bursting into tears: "Are you alright? Are you alright? Are you alright? If something happened to you, how would I explain to Ning Shuang Sect? Your shrewish sister would definitely devour me until there's nothing left!!"

"You're worrying about the wrong person, aren't you?" Seeing that Shuang Jing's complexion was actually not bad except for being a little pale, Mei Hua knew that she was fine at all. Instead, she turned to look at Xuan Sheng, who was shirtless and clutching his right shoulder, and said with a smirk, "Let's go. Xuan Sheng needs to be bandaged. It's late and damp here at night, which is not good for Shuang Jing's health either."

“Master Plum Blossom is absolutely right, let’s go first…” Seeing that they were relieved, Xuan Sheng spoke calmly, turning to the people beside him: “The two of you can light the lamps ahead, and the sect leader and I will follow behind.” After saying that, he squatted down in front of Shuang Jing and turned to gesture for her to carry him on his back.

The woman then pounced on him excitedly, nearly crushing him to the ground with her immense force. Xuan Sheng couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt, but he stood up as if nothing had happened and followed Che Shui.

As the moon rose higher in the sky, the rugged peaks and strange rocks cast dark shadows in its silvery light. The branches of the ancient pines formed bizarre shapes on the ground, swaying in the wind. The air was filled with the fragrance of wildflowers in the shadows of night, and the sounds of animals and birds beginning their nocturnal journeys.

The sounds of Meihua and Cheshui bickering came from ahead again. Xuansheng looked up and heard even, calm breathing beside him. Shuangjing's long hair, like a winding black waterfall, clung to his shoulders.

Just as he thought the woman on his back was fast asleep and began to walk quietly, her voice rang out firmly and clearly in the darkness of the night:

"Xuansheng... don't you understand yet? You are my world."

Cloud Shadows: Full Moon Over Empty Mountains and Flowers in the Sky 2

Perhaps it was because he had spent too much time with Shuangjing and Cheshui that his brain had become rusty, but Xuan Sheng, after walking with the two from Chongchonglou and Meihuatang for half a day, only stopped when they were almost at their destination, and asked with a hint of doubt, "Lord, Hall Master, who rescued us and brought us up here?"

Upon hearing his question, the two who had been arguing incessantly turned around, their faces displaying unusually strange expressions.

"..." Plum Blossom moved her lips, but still didn't say anything.

"..." Che Shui raised an eyebrow, as if he was thinking about some difficult problem.

"?" Xuan Sheng shrugged, then lifted Shuang Jing, who was fast asleep on his back, a little higher: "How is it?"

"Very……"

"strangeness……"

"and……"

"It's hard to describe..."

"He's definitely a strange person!" the two said in unison, then glanced at each other, snorted, and turned away to look elsewhere.

Can I interpret this as the husband and wife working together in harmony? Xuan Sheng silently wiped the sweat from his brow, finally sighing, "Could it be someone who wants to kill us?"

"should……"

"Really?" The two thought for a moment, then looked at each other and replied, but their voices were filled with uncertainty.

This doesn't mean I didn't ask! Xuan Sheng rubbed his forehead, shook his head, put on his double-layered sash, and continued walking forward. His indifferent eyes held wariness but even more so contempt, which, in the dappled moonlight filtering through the leaves, resembled two sharp, cold silver arrows: "Alright, let's go."

The group made their way up the winding mountain. All were masters of light-footed martial arts; though walking, they moved with incredible speed, as if their feet had wings. Che Shui and Mei Hua argued incessantly as they walked, debating whether the buns at Lianxinlou were as good as those at Tianxiangge. Sometimes they would pause, pointing at each other and cursing, sometimes they would look around dumbfounded, having forgotten where they came from. Whenever this happened, Xuan Sheng would take the opportunity to turn back and glance at Shuang Jing, who was perched on his shoulder, snoring softly and drooling on the ground, and shake his head helplessly.

Finally, the mountain path widened and the slope became flatter. The three of them, plus the one who was fast asleep, passed through a bamboo forest. Just as Xuan Sheng was surprised at how spacious this mountain was, Che Shui in front of them suddenly stopped.

He looked up, his movements slowing involuntarily due to surprise.

It was an enormous pear tree, with lush foliage and a huge canopy, just like a banyan tree. Large pear blossoms bloomed quietly on the branches at night, as white as clouds, like soft, heavy snow piled on the branches in winter.

The tree stands in the middle of a flat area within the mountain, surrounded by towering cliffs. Several rivers flow gently past the flat area, and waterfalls cascade down the cliff faces. A bright moon hangs high atop the lowest cliff, its radiant light bathing the entire valley in a soft, silvery glow. A gentle breeze blows, and petals scatter across the sky, fluttering down in a shower of delicate blossoms, like raindrops, truly embodying the scene described in the poem: "The moon is full over the empty mountains, and flowers fill the sky."

"You didn't see us being rescued just now. It was dusk, a scene truly only found in heaven." Che Shui, who was also stunned by the sight, slowly said after a moment.

"The person who saved us...?"

“There,” Plum Blossom said softly, lowering her voice to avoid disturbing the sleeping deity.

Following her gaze, Xuan Sheng finally spotted the person after a long while, not even noticing her at first glance.

Beneath the pear blossoms, as white as jade, stood a graceful figure in white.

She was an exceptionally beautiful woman, so serene and peaceful that her presence was almost imperceptible, as if she had melted into the scenery. Her long, flowing white hair trailed behind her like a piece of silk draped on the ground; her azure robes, as blue as the sea, floated like drifting clouds in the breeze, as if they might be carried away at any moment; her peerless face was expressionless, her eyes like a stagnant pool, without ripples or life.

She gazed silently at Xuan Sheng for a long time before finally parting her cherry lips, her voice cold and clear: "The pipa strings sound mournfully, a thousand cranes cannot bear to soar. What is the next line?"

"..."

"..."

"..."

The three people standing there looked at each other, their faces full of confusion.

“She only asked us that one question just now…” Che Shui whispered to Xuan Sheng beside him, “Because we didn’t answer, she almost let go and threw us off again. Luckily, I reacted quickly and answered her.”

"What did you answer?" Xuan Sheng frowned and asked in a low voice.

"I said the two people who fell down below know the answer."

"..."

"What are you afraid of! At worst, we can just run away. Xuan Sheng, you're so fast, are you afraid of being caught?" Mei Hua replied softly from the side.

"That's right. If she were human, I wouldn't be afraid, but given her appearance, I'm afraid she isn't. Besides, there are many extraordinary people in the deep mountains. I'd probably be caught in the blink of an eye. You might as well leave me to fend for myself at the bottom of that cliff!" Xuan Sheng couldn't help but rub his forehead, his steps unsteady.

"The pipa strings sound mournfully, and a thousand cranes cannot bear to fly. What is the next line?" The woman in white asked again, her expression calm and her eyes serene, before taking a step forward.

Xuan Sheng and the others felt the scenery blur before their eyes. Just moments ago, she was clearly standing under the pear tree, but after taking only one step, she was now only ten steps away from them.

"!" The group of people were stunned and stood frozen in place, unable to move.

"See? What's the use of being fast..." After a long while, Xuan Sheng glared at the two people beside him and said silently.

Both Che Shui and Mei Hua couldn't help but swallow hard.

If even the second young master of Half Moon City, who is the fastest in the martial arts world, feels that something is wrong, then what are the two of them, who are much slower than him, supposed to do?

"The pipa strings sound mournfully, and a thousand cranes cannot bear to fly. What is the next line?" The woman ignored their flirtatious glances and asked expressionlessly. Seeing that they did not answer, she took another step, and this time, she appeared right in front of them in the blink of an eye.

“Miss, I am Xuan…” Before he could finish speaking, Xuan Sheng’s pupils constricted. The person was already in front of him, only two fingers apart. The white-haired woman’s face was magnified. She looked at him with unfocused, misty eyes. He felt a chill, and the hairs on his body stood on end. He couldn’t help but back away, almost falling over.

"The pipa strings sound mournfully, and a thousand cranes cannot bear to fly. What is the next line?" she asked indifferently.

Che Shui and Mei Hua exchanged a glance, both secretly gripping the weapons at their waists. Che Shui stepped forward, his playful smile fading, and said seriously, "Miss, we had no intention of disturbing you. We are deeply grateful for your life-saving grace..."

"The pipa strings sounded mournfully, and a thousand cranes could not bear to fly." What is the next line?

"..." Are you even listening to me? Che Shui's lips twitched involuntarily.

"It seems like that's the only line she knows?" Mei Hua whispered from the side.

"Ah..." At this moment, Shuangjing, who was lying on Xuansheng's back, yawned, rubbed her eyes, stretched, and woke up: "Aren't we there yet?" She blinked lazily and looked around in a daze: "Where is this place?"

The woman in white standing before Che Shui slowly turned her head, her empty and bewildered eyes looking in her direction. Before Xuan Sheng could protect Shuang Jing, she had already rushed in front of her, tilting her head slightly, and asked in a low voice as if hypnotized, "The pipa strings sound mournfully, and a thousand cranes cannot bear to fly. What is the next line?"

"Huh? Ah?" Clearly completely bewildered, the Seven Stones Sect Master was utterly dumbfounded. But seeing the other's cold yet stubborn expression, she tilted her head and thought for a moment before clapping her hands and saying:

“Ah, isn’t the next line ‘Alone I sit in the deep mountains, hearing no sound; Chang’e waits for dawn with tears in her eyes’?” she replied with a smile.

"..."

"..."

"..."

Upon hearing this, the other three froze into stone.

What was going on?! They looked in shock at Shuangjing, whose face still bore the marks of her clothes, only to see the woman in white nod faintly: "Hmm. Indeed." Then she turned around and suddenly appeared under the pear tree where she had first stood: "Come with me." Her voice, though soft and cool, echoed throughout the valley, causing a slightly stronger wind to blow, and white petals scattered and fluttered like raindrops.

"How do you know the answer?" Plum Blossom asked in a low voice as she walked behind the woman in white. She felt deeply shocked. Why was there something in this world that Shuangjing knew while she didn't?

“I’ve seen this poem at home before,” Shuangjing replied with a smile, rubbing her face contentedly against Xuansheng’s shoulder as she lay on his back.

"Huh? Who wrote this poem?" Che Shui turned to look at her, somewhat surprised. "Where in the Seven Stone Gate did you see it?"

"In my bathroom."

"..."

"..."

"..."

Xuan Sheng, who had been listening to their conversation in silence, couldn't help but say, "To have such poignant and melodious poems engraved in the bathroom, Qi Shi Men's decor is truly... unique."

“I didn’t know it was in the bathroom before,” Shuangjing said casually. “It was carved into the floor of the bathtub. I didn’t notice it before because I didn’t need to take medicinal baths. I only saw it when I sank to the bottom of the tub one time.”

"The bottom of the pool?" Plum Blossom raised an eyebrow slightly. "Then... when was the layout and design of the Seven Stones Gate built? Did that bathroom exist from the time the gang was founded?"

"Probably. Our disciples are always focused on honing their skills, with a few specializing in martial arts. They don't care much about their lodgings." Apart from the reception hall and the area for receiving guests, other lodgings are fine as long as they have a complete roof and are warm in winter.

“If that’s the case, I’ll have to do some serious research on the history of the Seven Stones Sect,” Plum Blossom said thoughtfully.

"...You mean the Seven Stone Gate is related to this place? This place is related to the legends of the previous dynasty?" Che Shui looked at the huge pear tree and said, "Then this should be the place where the crown prince of the previous dynasty ascended to immortality...and..." He looked up and looked around at the mountains: "One, two, three, four...the seven loyal ministers of the previous dynasty who guarded him."

“Not only that.” Plum Blossom frowned. “If that’s the case, could it all just be a coincidence? The herbs that the second young master of Half Moon City’s fiancée needs just happen to grow in this place? The long-unknown Xuan Sheng suddenly reappeared in the martial world for her sake? The pursuit you encountered along the way for the two items you stole, and the history of those two items just happens to be traced back to the previous dynasty… and this mysterious woman, none of this can be a coincidence.”

"Gentle Sword Manor," Shuang Jing suddenly said. "If we're going to investigate, we'll have to start from the beginning. We initially obtained these two items from this notorious thieving manor, so..." She looked at the pear blossoms fluttering down like snowflakes before her:

"The final answer to these two things must lie there."

Suddenly a strong wind blew, and the petals, which had been falling like a gentle spring rain, began to spin and fall wildly.

The mysterious woman in white had appeared beside them at some point, looking up quietly at the silver moon in the valley. The wind blew her old clothes from the previous dynasty like billowing sails, spreading out her wide, flowing sleeves and skirt.

“The wind has changed,” she said expressionlessly.

"Hmm." Shuangjing climbed off Xuansheng's back and stood beside her, gazing at the moon like her. Gone were her usual playful smiles and jokes; her expression was serious and calm as she said, "The mountains echo and the valleys respond..."