Tesoro de Jianghu

Capítulo 19

"The one who came in was actually a young girl, and a disciple of Lingxuan Palace at that?" The woman's voice was somewhat cold and hard, revealing no emotion, yet it sent a chill down one's spine. "I've heard so much about you, Pavilion Master Xu."

Xu Lianning was shocked, but her face remained impassive. There must be sound transmission holes around her for her to hear the other person's voice so clearly, but what terrified her most was the scene before her. If she wasn't mistaken, she had stumbled into the Demonic Inner Force Array by accident. She raised her head slightly and said calmly, "I didn't know I had become so famous that even the Hall Master of the Heavenly Sorrow Sect knows me."

"You ventured alone into the Wudang Sword Washing Pool; that alone is quite impressive." The woman was silent for a moment, then said softly, "Hall Master Ruan said you are very clever and nothing can stump you. She has always had very high standards, and the fact that she hasn't taken a liking to anyone yet makes me even more curious."

Xu Lianning smiled slightly and said, "I have long admired the name of Hall Master Mufeng. It is truly unavoidable that I am his enemy."

A slightly grating laugh echoed in the empty corridor, but it was clear that the speaker was not happy: "Since you know my name, you must have heard of the Heart Demon Array ahead, right?"

Xu Lianning could no longer laugh. The Demonic Inner Force Array didn't contain any dangerous traps or mechanisms; it simply projected illusions onto the thoughts of those trapped within. Many who attempted to break through the array couldn't withstand the influence of these illusions and even went insane on the spot.

Mu Feng seemed to see through her thoughts and continued, "Why did so many people enter the Heavenly Sorrow Sect, but you were the only one who entered the Heart Demon Array? It's because your obsession is stronger than others, and you even activated this array. Don't even think about finding another way out, unless someone can open the mechanism for you through the wall."

"If Lian Ning is fortunate enough to break the formation, I humbly request the Hall Master's guidance." She hesitated for a moment, then walked towards the deep, dark end ahead.

She had only taken a few steps when the scene before her suddenly distorted. Xu Lianning closed her eyes, quietly enduring the sudden dizziness. She didn't know how much time had passed before the bizarre and surreal sight disappeared, replaced by the peaceful scene of a small village. Standing on a small hill, watching the wisps of smoke rising in the distance, everything before her seemed to awaken a scene from her memory—it was so familiar…

Suddenly, she heard soft footsteps approaching. Involuntarily, she took two steps behind a tree, just enough to conceal herself, yet still able to see everything around her. Approaching was a girl, dressed in coarse cloth, her smooth black hair tied up with a wooden hairpin. Her face was round, but her complexion wasn't very good, a pale bluish-white. Xu Lianning reached out and leaned against the tree trunk, carefully examining the girl. Her round, doll-like face was so soft and delicate, she seemed ready to be pinched. There was no pointed chin, nor the cinnabar mark between her brows, and her eyes were so clear you could see right through them.

"You're here? Uncle has been waiting for you here for a long time. What do you do here every day?" The thin, slick-looking man grinned at the girl. When he smiled, his eyebrows squeezed into thin lines, making him look like a mouse.

Xu Lianning's mind was in chaos. Her fingers slowly dug into the bark, as if a voice was constantly shouting, "Kill him! Quick, kill him..." She suppressed the surging anger, murderous intent, and the vivid fear that followed, and took deep breaths, trying to calm herself down.

The girl stared blankly at the person before her, motionless, her clear eyes wide open. The man approached slowly, and Xu Lianning closed her eyes weakly, unable to watch any longer. She could only repeatedly tell herself that this was merely an illusion caused by the inner demon array. But how could she remain indifferent and watch… suffer the same pain she had endured back then? Back then, her father had sent her to live with a farm family; after crying and fussing for days, she had finally calmed down, but…

She heard sounds of struggle, interspersed with the rustling of clothes. Finally, she couldn't help but open her eyes. The girl's clear eyes seemed to be looking at her through the veil, silently questioning her again and again: How could you bear to stand by and watch? Where is your heart? Is your heart still there...?

Xu Lianning pressed her hand to her heart, where something was pounding heavily, as if it wanted to tear everything apart.

The girl finally broke free and lashed out with a wild palm strike at the thin man's chest. She used all her inner strength in the strike, and the location was perfect, but the blood he vomited was so glaring that she stood frozen in place, even forgetting to shed tears.

The man twitched a few times and then stopped moving.

"You little brat, are you trying to kill me? Why aren't you back so late? We had to come looking for you—" The peasant woman's voice suddenly cut off as she screamed at the corpse on the ground, "You, you…"

The girl finally reacted, frantically backing away, only able to stammer and repeat, "It's him, it's him... I didn't..."

The woman screamed, and the farmer beside her, seemingly frightened or disgusted, pulled his wife away a few steps. Suddenly, he turned back to look at the girl in her thin, coarse clothes, gritted his teeth, and strode back.

Xu Lianning clearly saw him grit his teeth as he picked up the wood-chopping axe and suddenly chopped down.

Suddenly, the world turned deathly white. She didn't have time to stop it, nor could she, so she simply let the past repeat itself, one event after another. The child lying on the ground, only eight or nine years old, was herself, yet she couldn't even save herself.

There was nothing she could do. Hatred, jealousy, murderous intent—these were the only extreme emotions she knew so well. She remembered the first time she saw Zhang Weiyi, his blue robe flowing, his handsome features captivating; she remembered seeing He Jing in Suizhou, so simple and cheerful, with a touch of self-pity that was both endearing and absurd; she remembered seeing Li Qingyun, who leaped from the boat, his beautiful face radiating a faint, joyful glow… Why couldn't she have any of these? Why, when she was driven to the brink, was no one willing to lend a helping hand?

Xu Lianning instinctively stepped out from behind the tree and slowly knelt beside the girl. The girl stared at her intently, her eyes so clear: "Who are you...?"

I am you, and you are me.

"I'm sorry I couldn't come sooner," she said in a trembling voice, watching the baby-faced girl in front of her slowly force a pale smile: "It's okay, it's good that you're here..." Perhaps it was just her imagination, but a cold, hard expression suddenly appeared on that round face: "I thought you wouldn't come..."

Xu Lianning was startled and hurriedly stepped back. The village, the earthen slope, and the smoke from the chimneys all disappeared, transforming back into the luminous pearl and smooth mirror surface within the inner demon array. Countless mirrors reflected her disheveled appearance. She tried to hold back, but finally couldn't, and vomited a mouthful of blood.

"This doesn't seem good... Pavilion Master Xu, you couldn't even get past the first hurdle." Mu Feng's voice sounded full of regret.

Xu Lianning reached out and leaned against the wall, her thoughts swirling: Sure enough, it still didn't work; she still couldn't remain indifferent.

But it really hurts.

The pain from that time remains so vivid.

The room was completely silent, and no one knew how much time had passed. The air grew thinner, and breathing became increasingly difficult. Just as the silence became unbearable, a side door suddenly creaked open.

Like a single spark in the darkness and despair, a figure moved in the dark room and suddenly rushed out. He moved with incredible speed, and in the blink of an eye, he was out the side door. A faint silver light flashed in the corridor, and the person suddenly stopped, letting out a series of hoarse cries, unable to utter a complete sound.

"Tsk, I thought Young Master Yujian was so amazing, but he's nothing special after all." With a flick of his wrist, a thin thread retracted into his wrist. He stomped his foot in regret and was about to walk away when he suddenly felt a chill on his back, as if a sharp sword was pressed against him.

"I don't want to cause such regret, and I do feel guilty." A handsome, aloof voice sounded from behind, its tone seemingly gentle, yet it inexplicably sent a chill down one's spine.

"So you're not dead?" The man's tone was surprisingly pleased. "Then who died just now? That fool from Longteng Post Station? I thought you couldn't wait any longer and killed him." The man moved his hand, lit a tinderbox, and shone it behind him: "Some people say that Young Master Yujian truly deserves the title of 'fine young master,' and it's indeed true."

Zhang Weiyi smiled faintly, "I've also heard that the Heavenly Sorrow Sect has a hall master who can switch between male and female, and whose methods are flamboyant. It seems it's true." The man's face was heavily powdered, and in the firelight, he did indeed look somewhat terrifying. But he wasn't annoyed. He reached out and leaned against the wall, sighing affectedly, "When I, Mi Zui, smile, the whole world is captivated. How can you say I can switch between male and female?" He paused slightly, then switched to a woman's soft voice, "Life is like a dream, why care about such things? Just do what makes you happy, that's all. What do you think, young master?"

Zhang Weiyi felt inexplicably nauseous. If he listened any longer, he feared he would collapse and vomit uncontrollably. He trembled his long sword and prepared to stab.

Mi Zui exclaimed in fright, "Wait a minute, wait a little longer!"

Without the slightest hesitation, the tip of his sword trembled as it fell. Suddenly, he felt a jolt beneath his feet and immediately lost his balance. Zhang Weiyi steadied himself and still thrust his sword at Mi Zui, before tumbling into the water. It turned out that Mi Zui had been fumbling for the switch on the wall, and once pressed it, the two of them had fallen into a secret underground passage.

Mi Zui swam forward, raised his hand, and a silver thread shot from his wrist, hooking onto the oil lamp on the wall, propelling him several feet further. He flicked his wrist again, retrieving the silver thread, and with this back and forth, he was already far away from Zhang Weiyi. Hanging in mid-air with the silver thread, he turned back and smiled: "Oh dear, I was really confused just now. How could I forget that you, Young Master Zhang, can't swim?"

As soon as Zhang Weiyi entered the water, he choked several times. He then calmed himself down and slowly used the buoyancy of the water to move forward against the wall. He smiled, as if he was not annoyed at all: "I already thought it was strange enough that the Heavenly Sorrow Sect knew my identity, but I didn't expect them to know this too."

Mi Zui sighed softly, his voice suddenly becoming low: "Unlike you, I wasn't born into royalty. Even though I suffered a bit, I've made it through. I was originally an actor. You nobles are all like beasts, not content with just the taste of women, you also crave male lovers and pedophiles." He blinked, then suddenly chuckled: "But I have seen you, Prince Xiangxiao, once, during the celebration of the Fourth Prince's birthday."

Zhang Weiyi's lips twitched slightly, her tone neither warm nor cold: "Is that so?"

"Heh, is Your Highness embarrassed? I also heard from others that the woman who accompanied Your Highness that night was famous for her beauty and talent, and was also an honest official. She must have been quite a treat." Mi Zui turned her head to look at him. "I wonder if Your Highness would like to try something different? Mi Zui doesn't mind."

Zhang Weiyi's expression changed slightly, and after a long while, he managed to squeeze out a sentence: "I wonder which lord Master Mi accompanied back then. I must pay him a visit when I return to the capital. Such patience and forbearance are truly admirable."

"Your Highness, aren't your words rather impolite?" Mi Zui's eyebrows furrowed. "Is the person you admire really that good?"

Zhang Weiyi smiled faintly: "That's natural."

Mi Zui raised her sleeve and brushed her face, instantly changing her appearance. Her voice became clear and gentle, like a woman's: "Senior brother, so you were here all along."

Seeing that he had transformed into Li Qingyun's appearance, mimicking his voice and expression perfectly, Zhang Weiyi was secretly astonished. The other man leaped into the water, approaching him step by step, a strange light in his eyes that made it impossible not to stare.

Mi Zui approached little by little. He couldn't help but reveal a smug smile. Regardless of his skill in disguise and ventriloquism, his soul-capturing technique alone was enough to make him unparalleled in the world. However, he dared not underestimate his opponent, so he used both techniques together.

Suddenly, a brilliant silver light pierced the water's surface, like a dragon winding its way upwards, ready to devour anyone who dared to approach. Mi Zui hurriedly dove to the bottom, but the sword energy still nearly forced him to hold his breath. Fortunately, Zhang Weiyi couldn't swim and couldn't pursue him, allowing him to escape.

Zhang Weiyi wiped the water from his face, feeling utterly disheveled. In the water, let alone being unable to unleash his full martial arts potential, even simple movements were difficult. He waited for a while, but didn't find Mi Zui nearby, assuming she had escaped to a hidden spot. He took a deep breath, held it, and sank to the bottom, then walked forward step by step.

Before long, the water gradually receded, from above his head to shoulder level, and then slowly to knee level. As he stepped onto the steps in the water, he suddenly felt much heavier. But with a formidable enemy at hand, he couldn't afford to waste his inner strength drying his clothes, so he had no choice but to walk up, soaking wet.

Passing through a corridor draped in black gauze, one could vaguely see a woman sitting behind the veil. She reclined on a cushion, languidly extending her hand towards him. Her crimson palace dress exuded an indescribable air of wealth and splendor.

Zhang Weiyi took two steps forward and slowly, very slowly, reached out to touch her. His expression remained extremely calm, but his fingers trembled slightly, revealing the turmoil in his heart.

Dragons and snakes dance and soar through the heavens (Part 2)

Xu Lianning slowly stood up and walked forward. The illusion before her eyes drew closer again, this time beside the post station. She couldn't recognize where she was. The waiter looked at her and smiled solicitously, "Miss, are you in a hurry? Please sit down and have a cup of hot tea?" Xu Lianning didn't speak, but sat down at the table.

A soft tinkling of jade pendants rang in her ears, and a slender woman led a girl over, sitting down at a nearby table. The woman had bright, clear eyes and deep red lips; only her slightly raised eyebrows hinted at her imposing presence. That woman was Rong Wanci, the Palace Mistress of Lingxuan Palace. Suddenly, she realized that her master's appearance hadn't changed in the more than ten years that followed. This must be due to some secret art of preserving youth; she must not have been young then either.

"Lian Ning, do you want to come to Lingxuan Palace with me?" Rong Wanci asked.

The girl nodded without hesitation, her eyes still clear and gentle, with a hint of hurt in their clarity.

“Lingxuan Palace is very cold, I don’t know if you can stand it…” Rong Wanci said in a low voice.

Lingxuan Palace was cold, but she managed to preserve herself, as if she had been brought back to life.

She looked at the girl's face; it was starting to look thinner, and her complexion was still pale. With such severe injuries, it was already remarkable that she had survived.

People nearby were loudly discussing matters of the martial world. The Heavenly Sorrow Sect had recently vanished without a trace, and Xu Xuanze of Wudang was now a well-known figure. He had preserved himself, but never returned to find the young girl he had entrusted to a farming family. He didn't even know that the hatred in her heart couldn't erupt hysterically; it could only be suppressed. For the next ten years or so, she could only find the strength to keep living by blaming all her pain on that person.

Xu Lianning followed the two figures, one tall and one short, forward, and in an instant, she found herself standing on the ancient Helan path, covered in snow and blooming with white plum blossoms. Back then, there were many disciples of Lingxuan Palace, and no one would have thought much of her walking in front of others. The girl from that year had grown considerably; her baby face was gone, and her chin had become sharp. Xu Lianning stood at the back of the training ground, watching her younger self practice swordsmanship over and over again. She hadn't inherited any talent for martial arts, and besides, the injuries she had sustained made even executing a single sword move a difficult task.

There was a time when I did consider giving up. But in the end, I held back; the situation was beyond my control.

"Lian Ning, are you practicing your sword? Do you want me to practice a few moves with you?" A girl in a pale yellow dress ran over, smiling and revealing her dimples. The person practicing the sword shook his head, seemingly throwing down his sword in a huff: "I can't improve anyway, so I'm not practicing anymore."

Xu Lianning remained hidden behind the weapon rack, unnoticed by the passersby. She frowned, recalling that she was probably fourteen or fifteen years old then, and had a close friend named Qi Yue. Despite their seemingly innocent interactions, she had actually harbored considerable suspicion, including now. Qi Yue's martial arts skills far surpassed her own; who knew if she would ultimately be unable to defeat her and be accidentally stabbed to death?

“Let me tell you, Ruan Qingxuan from Huiyue Pavilion definitely hates me. She gave me that weird look again today.” Qi Yue grabbed the other’s hand and complained, “Have you seen her face behind the veil? It’s covered in crisscrossing scars. It’s terrifying.”

"Is that so?" the girl replied calmly. "Senior Sister Ruan will soon be the Pavilion Master of Huiyue Pavilion, she shouldn't do anything to you, right?"

“I don’t think she cares about Liushao Pavilion. I heard that the Pavilion Master of Liushao Pavilion is the worst in martial arts.” Her face darkened slightly. “But it doesn’t matter. We’ve worked so hard, we’re sure we won’t be looked down upon, right?”

However, there can only be one position as the master of Liushao Pavilion.

Xu Lianning watched from afar as the two of them cuddled together, talking and laughing intimately, and frowned slightly, feeling a little uncomfortable. Even though she knew that most of their affection was fake, a part of her heart still hoped that there was some sincerity in it.

But what were the other children doing at this time? And what were the disciples of Wudang doing?

She would never know, just as that woman who grew up in Wudang and was about the same age would never understand her own coldness and ruthlessness. She would never know the feeling of sacrificing herself for others.

Why hurt yourself to please others when your own situation is already unsatisfactory?

Snow began to fall from the sky, in large flakes, not as delicate as the snow in Jiangnan.

She walked slowly along the gravel path, and gradually, she could see the magnificent pavilion ahead—she had arrived at the Radiant Moon Pavilion. A faint fragrance filled the air, and amidst the shadows of plum blossoms, she could vaguely make out that tall, familiar figure, and hear her softly reciting with a smile, "Several buds just beginning to hold snow..."

...The wind seemed to understand her heart. Xu Lianning stood behind, unable to move. Her beloved was now just bones; could she stay here and quietly savor the last fragment of her memory?

Ruan Qingxuan suddenly turned around, her tone still smiling but tinged with coldness: "Who's behind us?"

She instinctively wanted to go over, but she restrained herself. The previous lesson was profound; if she made another mistake, she feared she would be trapped in the demonic illusion for the rest of her life. Yet, a faint feeling stirred within her: perhaps being trapped in such an illusion wasn't so bad after all?

The girl slowly walked up from behind, her eyes fixed on Ruan Qingxuan. Ruan Qingxuan smiled gently, exuding charm: "Junior Sister, this is for you." She held out her hand, revealing a plum blossom.

Xu Lianning stood quietly under the plum tree, watching the snowflakes fall on her, freezing her clothes, yet she refused to move an inch. She feared she might never see them again. Sadly, after talking for a while, they parted ways.

Xu Lianning followed her younger self toward Liushao Pavilion.

Through the window, she saw Qi Yue bring in several plates of pastries: pale pink rose cakes, snow-white cloud cakes, and pale yellow pine flower cakes. Her younger self sat on the edge of the bed, not eating any.

In fact, she had been testing poisons for a long time by this point, and as long as it wasn't a rare poison, it wouldn't harm her at all. But she was still very careful, afraid of making any mistakes.

Qi Yue left, and the girl didn't move, vaguely sensing that something was about to happen.

Sure enough, Qi Yue returned shortly after, a transparent, jade-shaped hidden weapon embedded in her shoulder. Only Ruan Qingxuan, who was about to inherit the position of Radiant Moon Pavilion Master, possessed the hidden weapon skills of the Xuanbing Soul Mark. Her face was deathly pale, and her body trembled slightly, as if she had been terrified: "Lian Ning, that bitch Ruan Qingxuan really tried to kill me!"

The girl stood up and gently removed the hidden weapon from Qi Yue's shoulder, seemingly unintentionally grazing her fingertip as she did so. Qi Yue glanced at the wound medicine the girl had brought and smiled, "Why bother with such a small injury?" She glanced at the untouched pastries, pouting slightly displeased, "Lian Ning, aren't the pastries I brought delicious?"

She put the wound medicine back in the medicine box, smiled gently, and said, "Okay, I'll try it." She picked up a thin piece of rose cake and ate it all under Qi Yue's watchful gaze. Xu Lianning watched them sitting opposite each other, her mind racing. They were still children, yet they were already scheming and plotting like this.

What were my feelings at that time? Was I waiting for Qi Yue to suddenly wave her hand and knock the pastry out of my hand, saying I didn't want to eat it anymore? Or was I vaguely looking forward to finally having such an opportunity to get rid of someone whose martial arts were much stronger than mine?

The people inside finally finished their pastries and chatted intermittently. Suddenly, Qi Yue stood up, her tone extremely surprised: "Lian Ning, what's wrong? Are you feeling unwell?" Her tone was so incredulous, yet it still revealed a hint of excitement.

"It's nothing, I'm just feeling a little unwell. I probably caught a cold outside." She replied weakly, a tiny bead of blood on her fingertip just beginning to congeal.

"...It's not a cold." Qi Yue's expression was unreadable. "It's arsenic. It'll only hurt for a little while, so don't be afraid." She stood straight, as if talking to herself, "We're friends, I won't torture you. Your lightness skill is so good, who knows if your martial arts will surpass mine one day. There will definitely be people who want to cause you trouble in the future, so it's better if I help you get rid of it sooner..."

"Is that so... But I don't want to die yet." She slightly raised her head, her faint smile carrying a hint of wicked beauty. Qi Yue suddenly felt a darkness before her eyes and swayed.

“You’re not the first to poison me, but it’s a pity you don’t know that I started testing poisons a long time ago. Although I’m not immune to all poisons, arsenic is useless against me. Since Senior Sister Ruan is already determined to get rid of you, I can’t bear to see you end up like that…” She slowly raised her hand to show her the marks on her fingers where she had been pricked. “My blood is poisonous. I got a little bit on it when I was removing the hidden weapon from you. That’s how I poisoned you just now.”

Qi Yue looked at her, seemingly still unable to believe that the situation had taken such a dramatic turn. She struggled, gripping the other's arm tightly: "Why won't you just die peacefully?!"

Because I cannot die yet.

"You clearly have no chance of becoming the Pavilion Master of Liushao Pavilion, so why don't you give me that opportunity?!"