A Record of Pleasure

Chapter 38

Baili Liushang could no longer suppress his laughter. "If you don't like it, just say so. You always hold back your temper in front of me. You'll break down eventually."

Tan Huan smiled bitterly, "If one day my martial arts skills can be compared with my master's, then I will be much more honest in my words."

Baili Liushang smiled again, turned his head to look at her, and said, "It seems you really don't like me touching you."

Was that kind smile and frank words just a test? Tan Huan's expression froze, and she couldn't utter a word for a long time.

“Your martial arts skills were a bit lacking before, and they are still not good enough now. You should practice more.” Baili Liushang kindly changed the subject. “Two years from now, I will choose a successor between you and Luo Yi. For the next two years, you will stay in Zhengyang Palace and focus on practicing martial arts.”

Tan Huan thought for a moment, then thought again, and said in a very tactful way, "I think my martial arts skills are no worse than my senior brother's."

Baili Liushang raised his eyes and sneered, "What kind of person do you think your senior brother is? Luo Yi is good at acting. Do you think you can see through him? Don't overestimate yourself."

Greedy for learning was one of Tan Huan's virtues, and she didn't object to these words. She simply asked, "Then has Master seen through Senior Brother?"

Baili Liushang retorted unrestrainedly, "Who do you think I am? To be compared to you?"

Tan Huan said helplessly, "It was my disciple who spoke carelessly."

"I'll give you two years. We'll come back to see the results in two years," Baili Liushang said. "I'll give you three questions then, and we'll see who comes out on top."

Chapter Twenty: Going Astray from Cultivation

After the incident at Youming Valley, Zhengyang Palace remained relatively peaceful in the martial arts world for a long time. For some unknown reason, Baili Liushang actually stayed at Zhengyang Palace, diligently serving as a good teacher and carefully instructing his two disciples in martial arts. However, the martial arts world wasn't as tranquil as one might expect. Even without Baili Liushang's meddling, other restless individuals emerged. A feud seemed to have developed between the Tang Clan and Youming Valley, with occasional minor clashes. Fortunately, both sides knew how to restrain themselves and wouldn't escalate the conflict to innocent people; therefore, Pei Gumo turned a blind eye.

After a year of patient teaching, Baili Liushang's initial interest had worn off. At first, he was delighted to see Tan Huan's progress every day and every moment, but after seeing it for a long time, he got tired of it. He was surprised that he could persist for a year. After a year, he simply went into seclusion to cultivate, leaving his two disciples to fend for themselves.

Although Baili Liushang declared that he would determine the successor of Zhengyang Palace after his seclusion in a year, Tan Huan and Luo Yi showed no sense of competition or anxiety. They even occasionally exchanged martial arts insights and sparred in practice. In terms of martial arts talent, Tan Huan was more than ten or a hundred times stronger than Luo Yi. However, Luo Yi had grown up under Baili Liushang's tutelage, giving him a significant advantage in terms of foundational skills. Tan Huan, on the other hand, was essentially a latecomer to martial arts, relying heavily on self-exploration. Even so, a genius is a genius. After several years of training, Tan Huan's martial arts had surpassed Luo Yi's.

Anyone with eyes could see that Tan Huan was stronger than Luo Yi, and even Tan Huan herself thought so, yet deep down she always felt something was amiss. After the incident in Youming Valley, Tan Huan would intentionally or unintentionally pay attention to Luo Yi, observing his every word and action. The outcome of that incident was too bizarre; she believed that the secret of the Lonely Dust Sword was inextricably linked to Luo Yi, but she couldn't find out where to begin. In the two years since returning to Zhengyang Palace, she finally discovered some suspicious points that she hadn't noticed before. Luo Yi always tried his best to avoid injury in every duel. Sometimes, when offense was clearly more advantageous than defense, Luo Yi would insist on using defensive moves to avoid injury. Moreover, once he was injured, he would treat it as soon as possible, bandaging the wound tightly. Tan Huan hadn't noticed these small details before, but once she did, they took root in her mind, and she began to ponder them carefully.

What truly convinced Tan Huan of her suspicions was a coincidence. Late one night, she was suddenly awakened by a nightmare and couldn't fall back asleep, so she took a walk outside. Suddenly, she saw a suspicious shadow moving around Zhengyang Palace. Tan Huan leaped up and chased after it, only to find that it was Luo Yi. So she followed closely behind without making a sound, all the way to where her master was in seclusion.

Luo Yi stopped in front of the large stone cave, gently tapped on the cave wall, and after a long while, he spoke in a low voice, "Master, are you awake?"

"You're making such a racket that you'd wake even a sound sleeper!" Baili Liushang's annoyed voice came from behind the stone cave.

Luo Yi coughed awkwardly, "I'm sorry."

"Enough with the nonsense, what do you want from me?" Baili Liushang said. "Didn't I tell you not to disturb me when I'm in seclusion?"

“Master,” Luo Yi hesitated for a long time before finally speaking, “Tan Huan probably knows…” He recalled the events of the past few days and said hesitantly, “Tan Huan may know the secret of the Lonely Dust Sword…”

Silence fell suddenly behind the stone cave, and Baili Liushang remained silent for a long time. The moon moved from one treetop to another, and finally Baili Liushang's voice rang out again, "So, what do you plan to do? Kill your junior sister?"

Tan Huan gasped, his eyes fixed on Luo Yi's expression.

Luo Yi remained silent, his head bowed. The mountain night wind ruffled his thin clothes, his handsome, godlike face stiff and expressionless, his brows slightly furrowed, his eyes half-closed. "Actually, I'm not entirely sure either. Tan Huan didn't say anything... I just feel like she knows..."

Nonsense! She knows nothing! Tan Huan's doubts deepened. What had she done that aroused Luo Yi's suspicion?

Baili Liushang seemed to chuckle softly, "That girl is quite good at putting on an act. Sigh, speaking of which, I kind of miss her." He then changed his tone and said, "Whether she knows the truth or not, Luo Yi, I only ask you what you plan to do next?"

Luo Yi took a deep breath and said sadly, "I don't know." It was precisely because she didn't know that she came to Baili Liushang, and it was precisely because she couldn't make a decision that she hoped Baili Liushang could give her some advice.

"This is your business, I don't want to interfere," Baili Liushang said. "If I asked you to kill Huan'er, could you do it?"

Luo Yi fell silent again, and after a long, long time, he shook his head slightly.

Baili Liushang's eyes seemed to see Luo Yi's movements, and he smiled again, "Since you can't bring yourself to do it, why are you still struggling? Just live your life, why bother with so much?"

Luo Yi asked softly, "If I decide to kill Tan Huan, will you object, Master?"

"Of course I object. That stupid child is my disciple. If anyone should be killed, it should be me." Baili Liushang's voice was indifferent. "But I am in seclusion and cannot stop you. Even if you kill her, I will not avenge her."

Luo Yi smiled with relief, "Master dotes on Tan Huan very much."

Baili Liushang hummed twice inside the stone cave.

"Then, I will take my leave."

In the stillness of the night, the silvery moonlight streamed across the dappled leaves. Tan Huan remained motionless in the shadows, drops of moonlight shimmering on her dark hair. Even after Luo Yi had walked away, her nerves remained taut. Just as she was about to sneak back the way she came, she heard Baili Liushang's cold voice, "Come out! You think I didn't notice you?"

Tan Huan paused, hesitated for a moment, and then obediently walked out, saying, "Master."

"You've even learned to eavesdrop now?" Baili Liushang's voice reached Tan Huan's ears. Although he couldn't see Baili Liushang's expression, based on Tan Huan's understanding of Baili Liushang, he could tell from the voice that Baili Liushang wasn't actually angry. So Tan Huan became bolder and said with a grin, "Master, my kung fu has improved a lot, hasn't it? I thought you wouldn't be able to find me, but it turns out you're still better than me."

Baili Liushang chuckled, "You've improved quite a bit, almost to the point where you can fall leaves silently and leave no trace in the snow. That's commendable."

Upon receiving Baili Liushang's positive praise for the first time, Tan Huan was thrilled. "Really?"

Baili Liushang's voice was filled with even more laughter, "Indeed, not bad. I've only been in seclusion for a year and you've made such progress, and that's without anyone teaching you. Huan'er, your comprehension of martial arts is truly outstanding. I remember it took me more than a year to achieve such progress back then."

Tan Huan's heart pounded, her cheeks flushed, and after a while her emotions calmed down, she couldn't help but smile. "Master, so you can praise people too." Being praised by him meant that she had really become much stronger.

Baili Liushang suddenly fell silent on the other side of the stone cave, and didn't make a sound for a long time.

Tan Huan gazed up at the bright moonlight, her smile gradually fading. The moon was so round, so full; it must be the fifteenth again, right? Such days are for family reunions… She realized how long it had been since she'd looked up at the moon. A sense of loneliness crept into Tan Huan's heart. “Master, would you like me to sit with you for a while?”

Baili Liushang was silent for a moment, then asked, "Would you like to sit with me for a while, or should I sit with you for a while?"

Is there a difference?

"There's a difference in how they're phrased."

Tan Huan thought for a moment and nodded, "That's true." Her head remained tilted back, gazing intently at the full moon, as if she saw long-deceased relatives reflected in its golden light. Lost in her reverie, Tan Huan unconsciously voiced the question that had been lingering in her mind, "Master, do you have any relatives?"

"Zhengyang Palace is my family."

Tan Huan did not accept this answer and asked again, "I mean your parents."

"I don't know," Baili Liushang replied without hesitation, "He might be alive, he might be dead."

Tan Huan didn't press further, only asking, "Do you miss them?"

Baili Liushang chuckled softly and asked in return, "Huan'er, are you missing your parents?"

Tan Huan's cheeks flushed slightly. Knowing he couldn't see her expression, she still turned her head away. "No." She paused, feeling embarrassed to say it, yet also uncomfortable not to, so she awkwardly began, "The Wu family used to eat tangyuan (sweet rice balls) every time the moon was full." She bit her lower lip lightly. "Master, I suddenly realized I haven't eaten tangyuan in a long time..."

"Feeling hungry?"

Tan Huan felt a pang of helplessness, but then, remembering that the person speaking was her master, she quickly suppressed her helplessness and said, "No."

Baili Liushang was still laughing. "You won't admit it when I say you miss your parents, and you won't admit it when I say you're greedy. So tell me, why is that?"

The moon was so round and so cold, so she must have lost her mind. The words she spoke were becoming weaker and weaker, and she was saying more and more. "Among the Wu family, my favorite is Qingqiu. Qingqiu is a very, very good girl..." Tan Huan recalled, "much better than me."

"I don't know anything about Wu Qingqiu, but her martial arts skills are definitely not as good as yours."

Tan Huan laughed, "That's true, Qingqiu's martial arts aren't as good as mine. But if I could live like her, I wouldn't need to be so good at martial arts. I'd have a loving mother and brother, and a father to protect me. Why bother learning martial arts so hard?"

"So the result was that the whole family was killed by someone else."

Tan Huan's expression was stiff. He lowered his head and sullenly stayed for a while. "Master, Wu Qingfeng told me before he died that he didn't hate me. What does that mean? Does it mean that they still consider me a member of the Wu family? That they actually treat me like family?"

"You've lived with them for so long and you still don't know? How could I, an outsider, possibly know?"

Tan Huan said softly, "Even if they're all your own children, you'd still be biased, let alone me, your illegitimate daughter who can't see the light of day?" She gave a faint, bitter smile, her fair face bathed in the silvery moonlight, her lips a delicate red, her pupils sparkling. "I was too young then. If it were me now..." She trailed off, a bitter smile playing on her lips. Even now, she would be dissatisfied. Wu Tan Huan was just that kind of person, never the likable type.

"You only think of their good qualities after they're dead," Baili Liushang said calmly. "What kind of nonsense is that?"

Greedy muttered, "Being a masochist?"

Baili Liushang said with satisfaction, "Huan'er is getting smarter and smarter."

Tan Huan's lips twitched, but a habit she had developed over the years made her reply without hesitation, "It's because Master taught me well."

“I will be out of seclusion in about ten days. You should practice hard these next few days. When I come out, I will test you and Luo Yi.” Baili Liushang was silent for a while. He could not see the moon in the stone cave, but the faint moonlight still streamed in. “If you still want to eat tangyuan when the time comes, your teacher will take you out of the palace to eat them.”

Tan Huan felt a warmth in her heart and nodded, saying, "Once Master has mastered the divine skill, no one in the martial arts world will be able to rival his prowess!" After saying this, she bowed to the stone cave and quickly left.

Baili Liushang leaned against the wall of the stone cave, his internal energy surging wildly, almost shattering his internal organs. His body temperature was extremely high, his head throbbing, and he trembled as he exhaled, forcing a bitter smile. He circulated his energy for a long time, but his bones still felt like they were about to break. He continued to smile bitterly, looking down at the veins on his palms. "Has the divine skill been mastered?" Recalling their seemingly ordinary conversation, he had to applaud his own stamina. "To the point of demonic possession, sigh, it's a miracle I'm still alive..." Zhengyang Palace needed a new master.

Ten days later, Baili Liushang emerged from the pass. The first thing he did upon emerging was to summon the five leaders of Zhengyang Palace, along with Tan Huan and Luo Yi, to his presence, and formally announce that he would choose a successor from among Tan Huan and Luo Yi.

The sky was high and clear, and the Zhengyang Palace was as quiet as ever.

"The Palace Master's decision is fine." The five commanders did not object. "Your subordinates would naturally not dare to question the Palace Master's decision."

Baili Liushang nodded, looking down at Tan Huan and Luo Yi. "I'll give you three challenges, best of three, understand?" He leaned back in his luxurious chair, his face cold and aloof, his slender eyes seemingly casually scanning the people before him. Dressed in white, he looked like an immortal. "You are fellow disciples of the Broken Stone Sect, but if I see any of you holding back, you will bear the consequences."

Luo Yi said, "I understand."

Tan Huan's obsidian-like eyes were fixed on Baili Liushang's face, a hint of confusion in their depths. He kept scrutinizing him, even forgetting to answer. Master seemed a little different than usual.

"Huan'er, is your mouth hoarse?" Baili Liushang squinted.

"Understood." Tan Huan nodded quickly, thinking it must be his imagination. "Please give me a question, Master."

"The first challenge is for each of you to spar with one of the five Commanders, and for the five Commanders to determine whose martial arts are superior." Although the Palace Master's orders are absolute within Zhengyang Palace, the Commanders' positions are second only to the Palace Master. Therefore, each Palace Master must gain the trust of all the Commanders, and the methods used to gain their trust are entirely up to the candidates.

Tan Huan pouted; she was definitely at a disadvantage in this competition. Luo Yi's reputation in Zhengyang Palace was much higher than hers. Among the five leaders, Jiang Shemi's thoughts were unfathomable, and he had always remained neutral. Zeng Lun seemed to treat her better than Luo Yi, but it was only because she was pretty that he was biased; he would never hold back when it came to important matters. Yu Ye was the one who valued martial arts the most; he only liked her because of her talent in martial arts, so he would go all out in battle. Finally, Song Lian and Zhong Ding had always preferred Luo Yi. Zhong Ding had practically watched Luo Yi grow up, and their relationship was extraordinary. Song Lian, on the other hand, suspected her of betrayal and had been constantly monitoring her.

Therefore, if they were to fight these five leaders, Song Lian and Zhong Ding would definitely instinctively hold back against Luo Yi, but as for themselves... they would be ruthless! Tan Huan shook his head and sighed, "Master, will the five leaders fight in a series of battles or all at once?" A series of battles would be better, as Song Lian wouldn't dare to hold back too much in front of Baili Liushang. If they all came at once, it would be too easy for Song Lian to trip them up with some tricks.

“Naturally, it’s one against five.” Baili Liushang’s tone was matter-of-fact.

Tan Huan immediately wore a bitter expression; it was definitely a tough battle.

"Hehe," Jiang Shemi seemed to see through her thoughts, and a smile that could captivate all beings appeared on her charming face, "Tan Huan, back then your master won the competition one against five, and you were his disciple in seclusion. Show some spirit."

He won against five opponents? Hmm, Master is indeed only fit for worship. Tan Huan forced a smile. "Shall we stop here?"

Baili Liushang looked up at her, a slight smile playing on his lips. "Life or death is irrelevant."

Tan Huan's face darkened. She immediately tried to recall if she had offended any of the five leaders. Well, she probably hadn't; she was a very kind person.

"Wu Tanhuan, are you afraid?" Yu Ye asked with disdain.

Tan Huan shook her head and laughed loudly, "How could that be?" She pretended to be firm and said, "Although I don't have my master's strength, I at least have his courage."

Yu Ye snorted and shook his head; the answer was barely acceptable. Jiang Shemi giggled, finding Tan Huan quite amusing.

Luo Yi stepped forward. "Let me go first."

Baili Liushang nodded in agreement, "Okay, let's begin."

Six people stood in the open space of the hall, with five leaders surrounding Luo Yi. Luo Yi, his face solemn, suddenly struck first, his sword flashing like lightning, sweeping away three of the leaders. Jiang Shemi jumped out of the battle circle, coldly watching their entanglement, each time waiting for Luo Yi to be unable to attend to him before attacking his vulnerable spots.

Luo Yi attacked and defended simultaneously, his expression growing increasingly serious amidst the overwhelming danger. Yu Ye, the most outstanding attacker, had no concept of defense, and in the face of such a siege, he wouldn't consider matters of morality, only seizing every opportunity to strike relentlessly. Luo Yi's defense was in a sorry state; normally, his strength was only enough to defeat two Commanders simultaneously, let alone five. Fortunately, this contest wasn't necessarily about winning; it was merely a matter of the five Commanders judging his and Tan Huan's abilities, and he only needed to give it his all.

Tan Huan stood by, watching intently, observing the fighting styles of the five leaders one by one, and then pondering a strategy in her mind. If she were Luo Yi, how would she deal with it in this situation? Each of the five leaders was highly skilled in martial arts; a head-on confrontation would easily lead to losses. Tan Huan's gaze grew increasingly deep, her eyes narrowing slightly. Or perhaps she could take advantage of their entanglement with Luo Yi to launch a sneak attack, injuring two of them first, making her own fight much easier.

Luo Yi was already covered in wounds. The five-on-one situation had taken a heavy toll on his strength, leaving him panting and drenched in sweat. Before he could even catch his breath, Jiang Shemi's long whip lashed out at his back. Not wanting to waste any more energy dodging, Luo Yi reached out to catch it. Just as he grabbed the end of Jiang Shemi's whip, he saw Jiang Shemi give a strange smile, and then Zeng Lun attacked from behind, his broadsword mercilessly slashing towards his head.