"Oh." Cen Ji slowly bent down and picked up the book that had fallen to the ground. He brushed off the dust and placed it back on the table, seemingly casually asking, "Didn't she say anything?"
"I've said it. I've said a lot, but I don't know which part you want to hear."
Did she... leave any messages before she left?
“Oh… she said my medicine was bitter.” Dr. Sun said, a smile gradually appearing at the corner of his eyes, which deepened his wrinkles. “She even told me to go to Fish Eye Valley to find her.”
Cen Ji couldn't help but raise his eyebrows, "If..."
He glanced at the people from other factions who had come to observe the ceremony a few feet away, and the smile between his brows gradually faded.
Doctor Sun looked up at him in confusion, but he didn't hear anything more from him for a long time.
Cen Ji caught sight of Wen Moyin emerging from the guest room, looking around for him. He lowered his eyes slightly, gave Doctor Sun a faint smile, and said, "If you really go to Fish Eye Valley, remember to pass on a message for me, tell her..."
"It's a pity that I still couldn't drink her snow wine."
Before Dr. Sun could react, Cen Ji had already gone far away.
Looking at the dark figure huddled up at his feet, Dr. Sun guessed that the sun was already high overhead.
Why is it that the closer we get to the sun, the colder it gets? Doctor Sun shook his head with a wry smile and pulled his gray cotton shirt tighter around himself.
As Cen Ji walked toward Wen Moyin, he suddenly realized that regaining his sight might not necessarily be a good thing. For example, he could clearly see all the various gazes directed at him from a dozen steps away.
He had just scanned the various sects present.
The people sitting on the brocade benches at the west and east ends were all from prestigious martial arts sects. The most eye-catching were the dozen or so Iron Sword Sect disciples at the east end. All of them had white cloths wrapped around their arms, the meaning of which was self-evident: they were for their sect leader and fellow disciples who had died unjustly.
As Cen Ji walked past the east end, he suddenly glanced at the dozen or so Iron Sword Sect disciples. His gaze seemed to hold a deeper meaning, yet it was fleeting, like a dragonfly skimming the water.
After a quick glance, he walked forward without looking back, his tall, slender back straight as a javelin, silently accepting the piercing gazes of his disciples.
Shortly after Cen Ji followed Wen Moyin to the top viewing platform and sat down, the incense stick on the side of the platform burned out.
What was bound to happen has finally happened.
Cen Ji glanced sideways and saw Wen Moyin slowly stand up and walk to the altar on the earthen round altar, saying, "I am grateful to all the seniors and fellow practitioners for coming to witness the ceremony. On behalf of Kongshan Ridge, I would like to express my gratitude. The Kongshan Sacrifice was originally a family matter of Kongshan Ridge. If it weren't for the change of Kongshan Lord, I wouldn't have troubled you all to come here."
After a chorus of return greetings from below the stage, Wen Moyin gave a slight bow and continued, "Noon has arrived, and the auspicious time must not be missed. We request the priest to preside over the ceremony."
Wen Moyin returned to Cen Ji's side, slowly sat down, and watched as the priest dressed in witch's robes strode forward to begin the "welcoming the gods" ceremony.
While everyone else looked toward the altar, Cen Ji gazed at the horizon.
On a clear winter day, the sky is always a deep, clear blue. Cen Ji's gaze lingered, refusing to be withdrawn.
Offering sacrifices to Heaven, to the mountain, to the successive masters of Kongshan—the same rituals are performed every year, and today is no different. In truth, having heard the eulogies so many times, Cen Ji had memorized most of them—
"The inaugural ceremony was held in the empty mountains, blessed by the heavens. The bells and drums resounded, and the chimes jingled."
The priest's drawn-out tone made him uncomfortable. He glanced at the altar, where the memorial tablets of all the deceased Lord Kongshan were neatly arranged behind the offerings. The tablets were not particularly heavy, but somehow, in Cen Ji's eyes, they seemed capable of pressing a dent into the table.
Cen Ji had no choice but to look away and glance around. Sure enough, none of the other guards were present.
At this time of year, he should have been like Chu Ba and the others, guarding the hidden places of Kongshan Ridge, fulfilling the duties of a secret guard.
He once thought that no profession was more suitable for him than being a bodyguard, but now he suddenly realized that after years of risking his life, he could carry the safety of a mountain, but he could not protect the woman he wanted to protect.
Cen Ji felt a tightness in his chest, and slowly lowered his head to look at the dark shadow at his feet.
"By the will of Heaven, I bestow blessings upon you. May your blessings be abundant and simple."
The ceremony was still ongoing, and Cen Ji's absent-mindedness was not permitted. Wen Moyin slightly turned her head to look at him, her eyes flashing for a moment, but she didn't utter a single word.
From the moment Cen Ji changed his clothes, Wen Moyin stopped talking to him, only occasionally losing focus for a moment when her gaze swept across his face.
"Remembering his military exploits, his teachings spread far and wide. Let us offer him wine and spirits in celebration of our former lord."
The last word returned to dust, and silence fell around the altar, broken only by the heavy breathing of each person.
After the eulogy was finished, the priest stepped aside, but couldn't help looking hesitantly towards Wen Moyin.
The ritual of offering libations to pray for blessings has always been performed personally by the current Lord Kongshan. On the viewing platform, apart from Wen Moyin, there was only Cen Ji beside him, indicating that Lord Kongshan was not present.
After a brief silence, Wen Moyin stood up and announced, "Esteemed seniors and fellow practitioners, I hope you will forgive the Master for not being able to attend today. However, the ceremony of offering libations cannot be neglected, so my husband, Moyin, will perform it on his behalf." Her words implied that she was tacitly agreeing to let Cen Ji succeed the current Master.
After he finished speaking, hundreds of eyes turned to Cen Ji.
At this moment, an elderly man with silver hair on the west side suddenly said, "This matter of serving wine on behalf of others has never happened before."
Wen Moyin turned around and saw that the person who spoke was a very influential figure in the martial arts world. He had to consider the man's reputation, so he said gently, "Uncle Xu, things should be done according to circumstances. The ceremony is a big deal. If the auspicious time is missed, no one can bear the consequences."
Xu Bo was slightly displeased upon hearing this, and said, "Leaving aside the sacrificial ceremony and the offering of wine, even the position of head of the household should be passed down personally by Master Kongshan. Besides, Master Kongshan is Miss Wen's biological father; how can a child act on behalf of her father?"
Wen Moyin said without changing her expression, "Moyin is not the daughter of Master Kongshan. The rumors in the martial arts world are completely unfounded."
Upon hearing this, everyone present gasped in surprise, and the crowd erupted in uproar.
As they were talking, Cen Ji suddenly stood up, and everyone looked at him.
Cen Ji's expression was calm and composed as he slowly walked towards the altar. Wen Moyin's gaze followed his dark figure closely, her almond-shaped eyes showing a hint of bewilderment, but she did not utter a question.
Cen Ji stepped forward, picked up a jar of wine from the table, and poured it into the three bowls that were set out.
One bowl is offered to Heaven, one bowl to the mountains, and the last bowl is offered as a sacrifice to the departed souls.
Cen Ji poured three bowls of wine onto the yellow earth in front of him, then took a step back, lifted his robe, knelt on one knee facing the altar, and proclaimed, "Heaven and Earth bear witness, I offer this wine to Heaven, to the mountains, and to the former lords of Kongshan Ridge. It is by no means an offering for the position of Lord. Kongshan Ridge has shown me a life-saving grace, which I will never forget. However, the position of Lord of Kongshan Ridge belongs to the powerful. I know that my talent, virtue, and insight are insufficient to command respect, and I am absolutely unfit for the position of Lord." After speaking, he stood up, turned around, and his black robe fluttered in the cold wind.