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Capítulo 76

As Danfeng watched her receding figure, she felt uneasy for some reason, as if something was constantly weighing on her mind.

In the southern suburbs, Lian Junchu looked up at the vast sky and clouds. Chongming, behind him, said, "Young Master, Yinglong and the others should be able to find Danfeng, right?"

Lian Junchu turned around and saw the worry that couldn't be hidden on his young face, so she said, "We didn't find any signs of a struggle along the road just now, so we should be fine."

"This trip has been incredibly unlucky!" Chongming said with some resentment, then thought better of it, "But it's still our first time leaving Seven Star Island, and we were careless, which has dragged you down, young master."

Lian Junchu smiled slightly: "One day you will all truly step into the world of martial arts."

The rain had almost stopped by now, with only occasional, sparse raindrops falling. Several people rode up in the distance, with two people on the lead horse. The girl in front was Danfeng, who was being protected by Yinglong's arms, her figure still swaying slightly.

Chongming joyfully called out "Danfeng" and ran over. Yinglong and the others rode up to her and dismounted one by one. Danfeng frowned, looking somewhat strained as she stood.

Lian Junchu also rushed to her side, looked her over, and seeing that she had no serious injuries, asked in a deep voice, "What exactly happened to you?"

Danfeng had anticipated that she would anger the young master this time, so she shrank back a little, and before she could even speak, her eyes were already red.

Lian Junchu glanced at her, suppressed what she was about to say, and turned to Yinglong to ask, "Where did you find her?"

"In the valley near Yinxi Xiaozhu, we first spotted her horse walking on the mountain path. Then a woman climbed up from the valley floor, which I happened to see. She said there were still people down there, and then we saw Danfeng."

"So someone saved you," Chongming said to Danfeng. "Who was that woman? Did you ask?"

Tears still clung to Danfeng's eyelashes as she whispered, "She wouldn't say. But I could tell she knew martial arts, and her accent suggested she was a local. I wanted to thank her after finding you, but she left after Yinglong rescued me."

"Perhaps they don't want to get involved in trouble!" Chongming said, seeing Danfeng's distressed expression. "Young Master, now that Danfeng is back, shouldn't we set off?"

Lian Junchu looked up at Danfeng and suddenly asked, "What does that person look like?"

Danfeng paused for a moment, then said, "She was wearing a light green dress, petite, with an oval face and beautiful eyes. However, she looked unwell, and her hand was injured by a crossbow bolt from the Valley of Bliss. I wonder how she is."

Lian Junchu lowered his head and remained silent. No one knew why he cared about such things, nor dared to ask. After standing for a while, he whispered to Yinglong, "I'll trouble you to go to Yinxi Xiaozhu again and inquire whether the woman Danfeng mentioned has returned. If not, find out where she is."

Although Yinglong was puzzled, he still hurriedly led a few of his men back the way they came.

Danfeng was helped into the carriage by Chongming to rest. In the wilderness, Lian Junchu stood alone, waiting for Yinglong and the others to return.

It was almost noon when the horse team returned like a whirlwind. Before Yinglong even dismounted, he reported to Lian Junchu, "Yinxi Xiaozhu had a conflict with Jile Valley, but because of Lan Baichen from the Hengshan Sect, Mo Li only managed a draw. The woman Danfeng mentioned isn't at Yinxi Xiaozhu. As you instructed, we searched around Luzhou City just now. Someone at the ferry said that a girl like that did go there not long ago, but she's already left by boat."

"Why didn't she go back to Yinxi Xiaozhu?" Lian Junchu looked at Yinglong, but spoke in a very low voice, as if talking to herself.

Yinglong shook his head with difficulty, and Lian Junchu then turned around and silently walked towards the carriage. The curtain was lifted, and Danfeng, enduring the pain, leaned out and said, "Young Master, did she know you before? I always feel there's something strange about her."

Lian Junchu stared at her without saying a word. Danfeng shuddered and quickly fell silent.

After Lian Junchu boarded the carriage, she stole a glance at him. He turned his head to look out the window, and Yinglong drove the carriage slowly forward, gradually moving away from Luzhou City.

Danfeng felt that so much had happened in just a few days, leaving her, who had been living on the secluded island, feeling completely overwhelmed. Even now, her head was still spinning. She leaned against a corner, about to close her eyes and take a nap, when she suddenly heard Lian Junchu call out, "Stop."

She opened her eyes blankly; he had already gotten up and left.

"Young master, what is it now?" Yinglong and the others were quite surprised.

"You all go back to the city first, and take Danfeng to the inn where she used to stay." He jumped off the carriage, called over Yinglong, whispered a few words, and then turned back towards Luzhou City alone.

Danfeng hurriedly lifted the carriage curtain and called out to his retreating figure, "Young master, where are you going?"

"Go find someone." He didn't turn around, leaving only these words behind.

The midday sun pierced through the thick clouds and fell softly on the city gate, highlighting the two characters "Luzhou" with an indescribable sense of long history.

The streets were bustling with people, shoulder to shoulder. Laughter and hawking filled the air. Some family along the roadside was celebrating a happy occasion; firecrackers were going off in front of their doors, sending bright red paper scraps flying far away in the wind like fluttering flower petals.

Without stopping for a moment, he ran towards the ferry crossing through the crowded throng.

The road was long and winding. By the time he reached the ferry crossing after traversing streets and alleys, the ferry had already sailed away. The shore was deserted, with only the flowing green water and fluttering white birds.

Swallows flutter lightly, orioles sing sweetly; clearly, they yearn for the world of dreams. How can the long night reveal the heartless heart? Early spring is already tinged with longing.

After parting, I wrote a letter; at parting, I sewed needlework; my departed soul secretly followed my beloved far away. The bright moon over Huainan chills a thousand mountains; in the darkness, I return, unattended.

-- Jiang Kui, "Ta Sha Xing"

(End of Volume 4)

Author's Note: The names Danfeng, Chongming, Yinglong, and others are taken from the *Classic of Mountains and Seas*. Danfeng and Chongming are both divine birds, and Yinglong is a winged dragon. Hmm, these are the names I gave them, which is also the names Xiao Tang gave them, ~\(≧▽≦)/~ lalala

Volume 5: Partridge Sky

53. White water and green mountains give rise to late cold

The Fei River flows eastward, passing through the city. Following this ancient river downstream, far from the hustle and bustle, only the sound of cool, jade-like water can be heard. A wooden oar stirs the water, creating ripples in circles.

The boat reached the shore, which was Chaoxian County. At the ferry, people disembarked, most heading towards the city. Yue Ruzheng walked in the opposite direction from the crowd, slowly making her way southeast along the ancient riverbed. The winter afternoon should have been leisurely and peaceful, but the earlier rain left a chill that seeped into her skin, making Yue Ruzheng, who was already injured, feel quite weak.

Accompanied by the gently flowing river, she traveled alone. After leaving the city, the riverbanks became even quieter and more deserted. Relying on her past memories, she continued south along the river, heading towards the end of the Fei River.

As dusk settled and twilight descended, the river flowed into Chaohu Lake. A vast expanse of white stretched into the distance, shrouded in mist, withered grasses reflecting against the grey-blue sky, outlining the lake's contours. Yue Ruzheng stood on the shore, a hazy, chilly mist, like clouds and smoke, slowly filling the water's surface.

Just like those hazy memories of the past. As a child, I wandered here, barefoot, wading along the slippery lakeshore, just to find a small fish that had died on the surface of the water...

As dusk fell, exhausted and sleepy, she could no longer hold on and sat down by the vast lake, carrying her Lonely Fragrance Sword. Bleeding still occasionally seeped from the wound on her wrist; it had been almost a day, yet the bleeding hadn't stopped.

The reeds swayed in the cold wind. Yue Ruzheng lay on her knees, wishing she could curl up to resist the invasion of the outside world.

For some unknown reason, despite the cold weather, her consciousness gradually blurred, her mind filled with bizarre images, as if she were trapped in a nightmare from which she could not escape. In this indescribable panic, she tried to wake up, but her body was too weak; she could only slightly open her eyes. Through the blurry shadows, she could vaguely see someone walking towards her from the distant waters and the edge of the green hills.

At first glance, she was only slightly alert due to the hazy view. But as she got closer, Yue Ruzheng suddenly felt a chill run down her spine. She didn't know where the strength came from, but she suddenly stood up unsteadily and stumbled away in the opposite direction.