He only wished to prolong the current peace as long as possible, and simply said no.
Tang Yi then suggested going to the market in town.
The two walked down the street like any ordinary couple. She was in high spirits, becoming more and more childlike, wanting to buy all sorts of trinkets.
Yuan Qingze was originally a Taoist priest and didn't have much savings to begin with. Moreover, he had been down the mountain for quite some time and had already spent almost all of it. After a few times, she noticed his predicament. So she directly took him to buy a hairband.
It was just a simple red silk scarf, but she was overjoyed and immediately asked him to tie it for her. He, however, felt it was a bit too ostentatious on the busy street.
Seeing his hesitation, Tang Yi turned on him and left without hesitation.
Yuan Qingze chased after her for a long time, all the way out of the market and into a sparsely populated area. In truth, with her light-footed skills, if she really wanted to shake off Yuan Qingze, there was no way he could catch up.
Yuan Qingze wasn't good at comforting people, so he could only pull her close, stroke her dark hair, and tie a ribbon around her neck. A strand of bright red hair, like a thread of love, meandered through her satin-black hair, but even the longest ribbon eventually had an end.
Tang Yi was truly capricious; she immediately softened her tone and insisted on going to a party to celebrate. Seeing her return, Yuan Qingze breathed a sigh of relief and forgot to ask her what she was celebrating.
Upon arriving at the only tavern in town, Tang Yi had barely sat down when two young men dressed as scholars approached him and struck up a conversation. At first, Tang Yi ignored them, his expression indifferent, as if he didn't recognize them at all.
Seeing her like this, one of them said impatiently, "What are you pretending to be so virtuous for? Didn't you serve us brothers quite well that night?"
Another person glanced at Yuan Qingze a few times and immediately chimed in, "Could it be because you've found a new love? He's quite handsome, isn't he? He's your kept man. You two can come together, so I can have more people to serve me and enjoy myself more..."
The two men's banter grew increasingly vulgar. Yuan Qingze naturally recognized them; they had both once been her lovers. When they brought him into the conversation, he felt as if he had been slapped repeatedly across the face by two filthy fools in public, the pain stinging intensely.
The color slowly drained from Tang Yi's face. She had initially held back, but when the two insulted Yuan Qingze, the sword she had been gripping tightly was suddenly drawn. In the blink of an eye, the sword pierced both men's hearts. The townspeople, who had never witnessed such a spectacle, scattered in panic.
Of course, we couldn't eat.
Yuan Qingze dragged her out of the bar and hurried away. He inwardly resented her ruthlessness. He said, "You're too bloodthirsty. You can even bring yourself to harm your former bedmate. When did you decide to discard me like trash?"
She stared at him blankly for a long time before coldly uttering two words: "Now." Then she turned and left.
Yuan Qingze naturally refused to chase after him. Instead, he stood there alone until dusk, until his shadow had faded, before returning alone to the thatched hut they had built together, only to find Tang Yi nowhere to be seen.
He waited for ten days, but she didn't return, and he couldn't help but feel regretful.
On the evening of the eleventh day, she entered, her vibrant red figure swirling through the snow, wine jug in hand. As if nothing had happened, she invited him to drink with her. After a few rounds of drinks, she suddenly leaned closer.
Yuan Qingze knew what she was thinking and was furious. He pushed her away and said sternly, "It's one thing for you not to respect yourself, but what do you take me for!"
Suddenly, all the allure vanished from her face, replaced by a sorrowful laugh: "I knew you would look down on me one day." She paused, then added softly, "I thought you were different from them. I was foolish." This last sentence sounded like she was talking to herself.
He felt a deep pain in his heart and asked, "Why do you have to ruin yourself like this?"
Tang Yi suddenly gulped down a mouthful of wine, choking on it because she drank too fast. She coughed incessantly, and tears streamed down her face, mingling with the wine, dripping down the cool curve of her chin and onto his clothes, where they dissolved faintly. After a long while, she finally cried out in a hoarse voice, "That's just the kind of person I am. I'll die without a man!" Her stunningly beautiful face was filled with self-loathing and self-contempt.
Seeing her so distressed, his heart softened, and he said, "I know you must have your reasons."
Upon hearing this, she was terrified and said sadly, "As a woman, who is born willing to have a pair of jade arms to be the pillow of a thousand men?"
Yuan Qingze became even more confused upon hearing this. He thought to himself: Most women in this world who engage in prostitution are forced by circumstances to make a living. Although her parents left home or betrayed their sect, they were both outstanding individuals. They wouldn't let her suffer like this.
Tang Yi wept, “Do you know that there’s an extremely potent aphrodisiac in this world called ‘Soul-Destroying Incense,’ which is still incurable? The only way to survive is to constantly have sex with men. Ha, do you think I like those men? Every time I have an attack, I go to the tavern to drown my sorrows. Once I’m drunk, I don’t know anything. I just want to forget them. Because every time I remember someone, I hate myself a little more. But I can’t bring myself to die. If my parents could see me in the afterlife, I don’t know how heartbroken they would be.”
Upon hearing this, Yuan Qingze was deeply shaken, finally realizing that what she had been drinking each time was not nectar or fine wine, but rather the blood and tears of self-destruction.
After a long pause, he asked softly, his lips trembling, "Was it that 'Warm Sun Immortal' who harmed you?"
Unexpectedly, Tang Yi shook his head and said, "I was just trying my hand at it because I was disgusted by what he did."
"Then who poisoned him?"
"Don't ask anymore. I won't tell you. I am a filthy person and don't deserve your pity."
A tear suddenly slid down her cheek, yet she said that she herself was filthy and unworthy of pity.
In an instant, he felt as if his heart had been hollowed out by her, becoming a porcelain cup filled with snow, holding her tears, and feeling a chilling pain that pierced his very soul.
But in this world, love cannot be built on pity alone. Reality stands tall like a mountain, insurmountable for lovers.
Sometimes, the wound on the surface may have healed, but little did we know, it had rotted the flesh and bones inside.
The two remained inseparable as always, and even became closer.
The days lovers spend together always seem too short. Before they knew it, winter had passed, and spring was in full bloom. Tang Yi suggested going to the market to buy some fabric to make spring clothes. Yuan Qingze seemed uninterested, but in the end, he couldn't persuade her otherwise, so he went with her.
Perhaps because of the long winter, although the spring chill was still lingering, the people who came out to the market were very enthusiastic, and the small market was crowded with people. Tang Yi was already exceptionally beautiful, and Yuan Qingze had a refined and elegant temperament. The two of them naturally attracted a lot of attention as they walked through this small rural area.
Whenever a man's gaze fell upon Tang Yi's face, Yuan Qingze would subconsciously loosen his grip on her hand, until a man stared at Tang Yi with a blatant look in his eyes. In the crowd, the two who had been holding hands were finally separated.
Yuan Qingze stood there blankly amidst the bustling crowd, staring at the red figure frantically searching for him. Her furrowed brows and bewildered eyes were like a cracked porcelain cup, reflecting the anxious despair of knowing her fate. His legs, however, seemed rooted to the spot, unable to move an inch towards her; his throat felt like it was blocked with lead, unable to utter a single syllable.
It wasn't until the market closed in the evening that Tang Yi found him. She smiled at him, her smile as bright as a spring flower in bloom. Yuan Qingze forced a smile back, and the two went home together.
Only he knew that he had let go of that hand willingly. He certainly hadn't done it on purpose, but some things go wrong precisely because they are beyond his control.
The agreed-upon training period with his master had long passed, and Yuan Qingze had yet to return, causing him considerable worry. As fate would have it, his master finally came down the mountain and found him one day.
The Langya Staff had always been a source of anxiety for Yuan Qingze. He felt he had let down his sect and even more so his master. After much hesitation, he finally decided to return to Mount Shu with his master. He kept convincing himself that perhaps handing over the Langya Staff would earn him his freedom.
Torture may be difficult, as there are many assassins in the martial arts world, but getting information out of your bedmate is often a piece of cake, especially when she loves you.
Yuan Qingze successfully obtained the Langya Staff and returned to Mount Shu with his master.
"Alas, fate is cruel. This journey was one of no return. My master confined me to my quarters, forcing me to repent. She eventually found her way to Mount Shu and caused a great disturbance. The disciples of Mount Shu discovered that she could also wield the Mount Shu sword technique, and that her every move was preemptive, so they attacked her with even greater ferocity. Normally, with her martial arts skills, it wouldn't have been difficult for her to escape unscathed. But then, my master stepped forward and told her that my feelings for her were all a lie, that it was all a scheme to trick her into giving up the Langya Staff. Upon hearing this, she not only refused to retreat but also risked her life, single-handedly storming the treasure vault and snatching the Langya Staff back. The disciples guarding the treasure vault were all top-tier swordsmen of Mount Shu..." She was ultimately outnumbered and severely wounded. Yet, she stubbornly persevered, threatening to destroy the Langya Staff to see me one last time. My master, having no other choice, let me go to see her. After hearing my account of the events, she no longer believed a shred of my sincerity. Clutching the Langya Staff, she leaped off the precipice of Mount Shu, amidst the clouds and mist. My heart shattered with terror, and I could only watch helplessly as she ascended like a celestial being, her robes billowing in the air. This incident made me a sinner among the disciples of Mount Shu, and I was expelled from the sect. At that time, I had no regrets, only the desire to find her body. I searched frantically throughout the mountains for decades, but to no avail.
Yuan Qingze would never forget that day atop the Golden Summit, Tang Yi, her blood-stained red robe fluttering like a butterfly with broken wings, her face like unfired white porcelain, stained with a layer of light gray, let out a shrill laugh, saying, "Yuan Qingze, I, Tang Yi, have seen countless lives, yet I have given my heart to you alone. I am a defiled person, I know I am unworthy to be married to you, so I only asked that you tie my hair ribbon yourself, and I was willing to follow you without a name or status. Who knew I would end up like this! I, Tang Yi, was blind. It's all for a Langya Staff, I'll make sure you can't have it!" With that, she resolutely leaped off the platform. He couldn't even hold onto a scrap of her robe, only remembering her resolute and desolate face, tears streaming down her face.