Ветер и дым

Глава 36

Ah, everything is the same as before. Entering the courtyard, turn right into the corridor, and you'll find the innermost room. Pushing open the door, you're greeted by a huge mirror.

The room waited quietly for him to enter. Countless fleeting images floated in the air—childhood versions of Tang Congrong and Tang Qiefang, applying disguises to each other's faces. Suddenly, on a whim, he added a mustache to Tang Congrong's face, and Tang Qiefang, not to be outdone, pulled out a snow-white wig and put it on Tang Congrong's head.

Everything is still here, it never truly disappeared. Their shadows remain here, awakening inch by inch in this night.

Tang Congrong stared at him intently.

After a long while, she remembered Yue Shenhong, paused slightly, lit the lamp, and said, "Come in."

Suddenly, Yue Shenhong took out a handkerchief and handed it to him.

He was stunned.

A handkerchief gently touched his face, and Yue Shenhong's voice was low and hoarse: "You cried, didn't you know it?"

Tang Congrong then saw her face in the mirror, which was already covered in tears.

He quietly wiped away his tears, his voice still faint, though slightly choked with emotion, "Try to change your appearance, and let me see how far you've come."

Yue Shenhong then disguised herself in front of the mirror with practiced ease. In less than half a moment, two identical faces appeared in the mirror.

Tang Congrong's eyes held a hint of sadness. "Did he teach you this?"

“Yes, he only taught me to use this one face. Every day, I would dress up as you, talk to him, eat with him, and he would cling to me like a child. Even when I was practicing, he would watch me.” Yue Shenhong looked at him. “Later, he stopped teaching me, but I would still often disguise myself as you. Do I look like you?”

“It’s similar.” Tang Congrong said, tears welling up in her eyes again. She took a breath and swallowed the bitter emotion back. “But when imitating someone, appearance is secondary; mannerisms and expressions are the most difficult.”

Yue Shenhong asked blankly, "Are you going to teach me how to disguise myself?"

Don't you want to learn?

Yue Shenhong smiled languidly, "Of course I want to."

So Yue Shenhong resumed her daily routine of going to Fuxiaoxuan after finishing her training. At first, on the way from the training room to Fuxiaoxuan, she had a strange feeling that the person she would meet in that house would be Tang Qiefang.

Tang Congrong and Tang Qiefang's teaching methods were exactly the same. The same disguise techniques and the same teaching methods made Yue Shenhong feel as if Tang Qiefang was the one teaching her.

One time, the training session in the training room ended earlier than usual, and she arrived at Fuxuanxiao earlier than usual. There were already people in the room, and when they heard the door open, they turned around.

A loud "boom" resounded from Yue Shenhong's forehead.

The man smiled slightly, the smile first appearing at the corners of his mouth, then at the tips of his eyebrows, and finally his entire face glowed with a pearly sheen.

“Brother Tang…” Yue Shenhong’s legs felt weak. She took a step forward and suddenly saw his hand.

His hands were as beautiful as ice crystals; from his left wrist to the base of his thumb, there was a delicate and vibrant lotus flower.

This is Tang Congrong.

Yue Shenhong lost all her strength and slumped to the ground.

Chapter Sixty-Seven

Tang Congrong was somewhat surprised and helped her up. Her heart was pounding. She finally understood something: why being with Tang Congrong always gave her the same feeling as being with Tang Qiefang. Because in her presence, they weren't Tang Qiefang or Tang Congrong; they were from the same world, they were the same person.

She'd felt this way before, but never so clearly. Because Tang Congrong was becoming Tang Qiefang. It was as if he had merged into Tang Qiefang's body, or perhaps, hidden Tang Qiefang within himself. Yue Shenhong couldn't distinguish whether the person before her was Tang Qiefang or Tang Congrong.

Or perhaps, to both Tang Qiefang and Tang Congrong, she was the same. She was simply someone who reminded them of each other.

Yue Shenhong felt a chill all over her body, and after the chill subsided, she broke out in a sweat.

She regained consciousness.

From the moment she met Tang Qiefang, it was as if she had stepped into a dream. His radiance, his voice, his laughter, his demeanor, the feeling of him rescuing her from the trestle bridge, the cool, smooth touch of his jeweled tassels on her face… it was all an illusion she had. Everything about him was never for her; it was all for Tang Congrong.

His happiness was for Tang Congrong. His sorrow was for Tang Congrong.

Tang Congrong was the same; she went to the training room for Tang Qiefang. She was taught disguise, also for Tang Qiefang's sake.

Between these two people, there has never been, always has been, and will never be a place for anyone else.

Time passed day by day, and in autumn, Tang Congrong received news that Lv Lipi was going on a long trip.

Tang Congrong put on the Cloud Curtain and opened it up; no one would ever guess that this was the legendary Cloud Curtain.

Treasures used in cultivation cannot be used by mortals; they can only be used as shields or umbrellas.

On the day we set off, it was drizzling in the autumn.

The spacious eight-person sedan chair headed towards Medicine King Valley.

Tang Congrong spent considerable effort to learn that the Green Jade Flower grew on Yulan Mountain in Miao territory, and its harvesting season was the fifteenth of August every twelve years. He knew many would covet such a treasure, so he ordered his disciples to scout the area at the foot of the mountain, intending to set out himself in August. However, on the fifteenth of July, someone beat him to it. That person was Mo Xingnan, the top scholar of the Xinmao year at the Martial Arts Academy, known as the number one young martial arts expert.

Since the Green Robe already had an owner, they had no choice but to give up. But then news came that Mo Xingnan and his new wife had given the Green Robe to Yang Luoxue.

Half a month later, Tang Congrong arrived at Medicine King Valley. He first settled in a small town outside the valley. The disciples who carried his sedan chair ate at another table, while he only ordered porridge and side dishes.

The inn was crowded with people. At the next table sat several dark-skinned men and women dressed in blue, the woman wearing a string of silver bracelets. The group of men kept glancing at Tang Congrong with surprise in their eyes.

This place is close to Medicine King Valley, so it's not uncommon to see martial arts practitioners here. Tang Congrong only glanced at them briefly and then looked away.

The commotion at that table grew louder and louder, and a woman hissed, "Don't move! Don't move! What are you doing!"

A man whispered, "That's the blood of the Blood Serpent's mother. No wonder the Silver Chain was alarmed."

One of them said, "Judging from the weather, he's wearing a fox fur coat; he must be a sickly young master. Why don't we take this opportunity to get our hands on the Blood Serpent Mother's blood, and add the Green Cloak—"

Chapter Sixty-Eight