Pei Junwu and his companions preferred to travel on foot, though often their horses became a burden. Yan Minyu and Tuoba Yuanxun chatted and laughed around Yi Chunjun, quickly becoming familiar with each other and seemingly unaware of fatigue. Xiao Juyuan walked at the front, leaning against Pei Junwu, occasionally tugging at his sleeve, and he would lean down slightly to listen to her whisper in his ear.
She walked all the way back to Ya'an... She was so tired!
I'm so tired, both physically and mentally!
She truly didn't understand. With a storm brewing, instead of making proper preparations, Pei Junwu suggested they all go to the ruins of the Xiao family to pay their respects! She felt a mixture of resentment and inexplicable relief. Alone, did she even have the courage to go back there?
After that fateful rain... several sunny days followed, the bright sunshine making it seem as if nothing had happened. In the comforting sunshine, she waited for six whole days, but no one came... until she finished the last bite of her dry rations, too hungry to bear it any longer, and finally went down the mountain to go home.
Home? Where is a home anymore?
In a charred ruin... there was nothing left.
Sometimes she felt that she was worthy of being a member of the Xiao family. Looking at the ruins after the fire and the hideous corpses, both familiar and unfamiliar, scattered all over the ground, she didn't cry!
Tears welled in her eyes, but she didn't cry.
Whether it was from the scorching sun or the lingering warmth of the cruel fire, her hands hurt so much as she searched through the charred remains of her parents' bodies; it felt like they had been severely burned.
She couldn't find it... A glimmer of hope rose in her heart. Her mother was so clever, could it be that she and her father had escaped this calamity? But... if they were still alive, how could they not come looking for her?
Then... she met Tuoba Hanyun.
The beautiful aunt stared at the massive ruins of the Xiao family for a long time, and finally shed tears.
"Dead? They're all dead? He... he's dead too?"
She murmured to herself, her tears flowing even more freely.
When Yuan'er grew up, she realized that it must have been her master's heartfelt tears that moved her so deeply. Someone who could cry for her parents inspired an inexplicable trust in her; perhaps this was what they called fate. This trust, or fate, allowed her to agree to travel far beyond the Great Wall with this complete stranger!
trust?
Yuan'er smiled sadly. Heaven knows whether she will ever be able to trust anyone again in this lifetime.
Her beauty captivated Tuoba Hanyun. Even though she knew this beautiful woman was her mother's senior sister, she still couldn't reveal her identity to her, nor could she tell anyone else.
The first time she unintentionally disobeyed her mother's teachings, she was severely punished.
Tuoba Hanyun took her to the bamboo forest, the secluded place where her senior brother Zhu practiced his cultivation. She didn't see her senior brother, but she did see her parents' graves.
When Zhu Liancheng arrived... he only had time to collect the remains of the Xiao couple!
As a complete stranger and her junior disciple, she had already paid respects to her father and mother. Only then did Tuoba Hanyun, who had resolved to take her as his apprentice, remember to ask her name. Before her parents, buried beneath layers of yellow earth, she coldly replied, "Li Yuan'er, my name is Li Yuan'er!"
When she climbed back into the cave, exhausted, and saw only a pile of ashes, she knew she had been tricked.
She didn't listen to her mother! Her mother said that from now on she should be called Li Yuan'er, and that no matter what, she should never leave the cave or put down the Heavenly Sparrow Sword. She didn't listen to a word she said!
Six long days of desperate waiting... At such a young age, she had already experienced the anger and helplessness of being deceived. She was still hoping for a final miracle, that the Pei family would come, and that the young lady had only taken the sword because she thought it was worth some money.
No, no! Miracles... they're called miracles because they're almost impossible. She didn't experience one.
When she left the bamboo forest with her master Tuoba Hanyun, she looked back at the high mound where her parents were buried, and secretly promised herself that she would never disobey her mother again... At that time, she still did not know how much she would lose that should have belonged to her! She still did not truly understand... how much she would pay for her mistakes.
She slowly raised her eyes... and saw Pei Junwu's handsome and upright back.
Now... she already knows a little bit about it.
"Tired?" Lost in her thoughts, she didn't even notice Yi Chunjun slowing down and approaching her.
"It's alright," she replied indifferently.
"You must be tired, your steps are so heavy." Yi Chunjun frowned and said with some pity.
Yuan'er suddenly stopped, glaring at him resentfully. "My steps are heavy, not because I'm tired, but because my martial arts are weak! I can't walk as lightly as you!"
Yi Chunjun was taken aback, seemingly not expecting his unintentional remark to elicit such a strong reaction from her.
Everyone stopped and looked over. The slight smile that had been on Pei Junwu's lips disappeared when he pursed his lips. He slowly walked over, his eyes seeming to have become even deeper and darker.
"Xiao Yuan." He called her softly, but she couldn't stand his slightly concerned tone, nor could she stand the way he looked at her! She flung her hand away, walked to the shade of a tree by the roadside, and sat down on a stone with her face turned away.
"Let's rest for a while." Pei Junwu glanced at the petite figure under the tree. It was his carelessness. With their physical condition and endurance, they definitely couldn't keep up with this kind of walking, especially... she was so frail.
Xiao Yuan... wore a disguise mask, a rather crude one that made her appear so ordinary, almost ugly among this group of outstanding celestial beings. Yet, she possessed a captivating aura; even without her striking looks, even without speaking, a single glance from her drew the attention of this group of incomparably handsome men. Just like when he first saw her.
Amidst the fluttering petals, under the bright morning sunlight... she stood silently by the water's edge, and whether it was the light reflected from the lake or the pink petal rain that accentuated her, she emanated a halo that shook him...
He stared at her for a long time, it was unbelievable... how could a girl with such an ordinary appearance hold his gaze for so long? The wind gently lifted her long hair, and he had an impulse to remove her disguise and see what kind of face lay beneath that clumsy mask.
Actually... no matter what kind of face lies beneath that rough skin, she is always eye-catching.
"Have some water." He walked over, took out his water bottle, and handed it to her.
She remained unmoved and did not answer.
He was a little embarrassed, his hand still outstretched. Xiao Juyuan walked over and gently took the gourd from him. "Little Yuan, aren't you thirsty? The weather is getting hotter and hotter."
Yuan'er still turned her face away and refused to look at them or say anything.
Pei Junwu's face slowly turned cold. He stopped looking at her and walked to sit under another tree.
"Xiao Yuan, why are you so angry?" Yan Minyu frowned. Although Xiao Yuan wasn't exactly good-tempered, she had never been this willful before. "Yuan Xun, did you upset her again this morning?"
"Stop talking nonsense! When have I ever made Xiaoyuan angry? Xiaoyuan, I know you must be anxious and upset because your two senior brothers' martial arts are too good and they've left us too far behind. You've always loved learning kung fu, so isn't it a good opportunity for your two senior brothers to teach you? You should be happy, so why are you angry with them?" Tuoba Yuanxun said in a straight voice.
"Oh...I see." Yi Chunjun smiled and naturally sat down on the rock next to Yuan'er. "Don't be angry, Yuan'er, let your brother teach you. What do you want to learn?"