Chapter 78: Fragile Dreams
Late at night, Master was sitting cross-legged on the bed, her robes loosely draped around her.
Chen Yin stood behind her, channeling his spiritual energy into her body.
Master’s meridians were like a vast labyrinth, its walls thick and intricate. Now, they were in ruins, a chaotic mess of broken pathways and stagnant energy.
The “Forgotten Everlasting Heart Sutra” flowed through her like a raging torrent, engulfing everything in its path.
Nourishing and healing, it slowly revitalized her meridians.
Soon, beads of sweat appeared on Master’s forehead. She wrinkled her nose in discomfort.
“…So sticky and uncomfortable…”
“Just bear with it,” Chen Yin said calmly. “You can bathe later.”
“Can’t we heal in the bath?”
“Of course. But I won’t go into the bath with clothes on. If you don’t mind, then it’s fine.”
Master pouted, her displeasure evident.
“You little bean sprout, one day I’ll break you in half.” She said with a fierce but playful tone.
Chen Yin, for once, didn’t respond to her suggestive remark. He lowered his gaze, focusing on the state of her meridians.
…As if he wanted to etch every tiny wound into his memory.
After what felt like an eternity, Master’s thin robe was completely soaked with sweat. Chen Yin finally withdrew his hand.
“Whew~ Finally done.”
Master stretched and tried to get up, but a wave of dizziness washed over her, and she stumbled.
Fortunately, a strong chest caught her as she fell backward.
“Who told you to move?” Chen Yin frowned, his voice laced with concern. “Don’t you know your own limits? Stop pushing yourself.”
His gentle reprimand, surprisingly, didn’t elicit a retort from Master. She simply glanced at him sideways, then looked away.
Chen Yin knew that Master was extremely sensitive to cleanliness. Being covered in sweat was probably worse than death for her.
Without hesitation, he scooped her up in his arms, much to her surprise.
“…Mmm!”
Master was flustered for a moment, then said with a hint of annoyance, “What are you doing! I-I can walk by myself!”
“Be quiet.” Chen Yin said softly.
Master struggled in his arms, but her small limbs were no match for his strength. She eventually gave up and snuggled against his chest.
Chen Yin carried her to the steam-filled bath, his arms wrapped around her protectively. As he was about to remove her robe,
Master suddenly grabbed it and glared at him. “Close your eyes! Don’t look!”
Chen Yin said helplessly, “What? You were so bold and shameless with your dirty jokes earlier, and now you’re too shy to even let me look?”
“I-I’m just afraid you’ll be arrested for being a lolicon!”
“You’re not a child, you old loli granny.”
“Hey! Go tell that to the authorities and see if they believe you!”
After their usual banter, Chen Yin closed his eyes and skillfully removed her robe, then gently lowered her into the bath.
As her body submerged in the warm water, Master’s playful demeanor faded, and she lowered her gaze slightly.
“…Have you figured out what’s going on with Xiang’er?”
“I’ve only uncovered half of it.” Chen Yin said slowly. “But at least I managed to get her back from the demonic path. I guess I fulfilled my promise.”
He sat down by the edge of the bath, his back to her, and asked,
“Did you… know about Xiang’er all along?”
Master didn’t answer.
The gentle sound of water splashing and a faint sigh filled the air.
“I didn’t have time to deal with this matter before. I was really busy.”
Master’s eyes shimmered with a hint of sadness. “But that day, I was passing through Ziqing Province, walking down a snow-covered street…”
“I saw that little girl, on the verge of death, and I couldn’t just leave her.”
Even though she had already guessed the little girl’s identity. Even though she knew that taking her in would bring endless trouble.
But that day, the little girl, barefoot and shivering in the snow, had looked at her with pleading eyes.
Her small body was covered in a dusty robe, her breath shallow and weak, but her eyes were as clear and bright as a winter sky.
…She couldn’t pretend she hadn’t seen her and simply walk away.
“So I brought her back to the mountain. Raised her as if I knew nothing.” Master explained casually.
Chen Yin was silent for a moment, then asked, “What about me?”
“Why did Master bring me back to the mountain?”
“You?” Master chuckled playfully, her eyes twinkling.
“I saw that you had potential. You were a cute little boy, and I thought you would make a good servant when you grew up. So I brought you back to the mountain, waiting for you to grow old enough to keep me company at night.”
Chen Yin could tell she wasn’t planning on telling him the truth.
So he didn’t press further and asked instead, “How much is the Mist Spirit Sect responsible for what happened to Xiang’er?”
“Everything.” Master sighed softly, closing her eyes. “I wasn’t planning on telling you about this.”
“The more you get involved, the more complicated things will become.”
Chen Yin countered calmly, “If I don’t get involved, would you have been injured like this?”
Master fell silent.
“I know what you’re going to say. That old saying about revenge only leading to more revenge.”
Chen Yin said seriously, “But I don’t have the time or energy to ponder such profound truths. I plan to solve this problem in a simpler way.”
“And that is to eliminate everyone involved.”
Master’s eyes were distant and lost in thought for a long time. Then she chuckled self-deprecatingly.
“…That sounds just like you.”
“What?”
“Nothing.” Master’s voice was calm. “Instead of asking me about what happened to Changli Palace, why don’t you ask Xiang’er yourself?”
“If you insist on seeking revenge on those old dogs from the Mist Spirit Sect after hearing her story, I won’t stop you.”
“Just one thing.” Her voice turned serious.
“…Don’t die. I don’t have the energy to collect your corpse.”
Chen Yin listened silently, then smiled faintly. He gently ruffled Master’s wet hair before leaving.
“Don’t worry.”
“Your disciple is a coward who’s afraid of death.”
***
In the courtyard, the blooming Mist Yu flowers swayed gently in the evening breeze.
The cool mist condensed into dewdrops on the petals, filling the air with a delicate and lingering fragrance.
Yu Xiang sat by the edge of the pool, her bare feet dangling in the water, her toes playfully creating ripples.
After an unknown amount of time, a figure sat down beside her.
“Senior Brother!” Yu Xiang’s eyes lit up. “How’s Master?”
“Don’t worry.” Chen Yin said gently. “You know Master’s ‘Forgotten Everlasting Heart Sutra.’ As long as she’s still breathing, she’ll be fine.”
“It’s just a matter of how quickly she recovers.”
“I’ve already cleared most of her blocked meridians. The rest will heal naturally with time. She should be mostly recovered in a few days.”
Yu Xiang was relieved, then her expression turned sad, and she lowered her head.
“…Senior Brother.”
She said softly, “Was Master injured because of me?”
Chen Yin looked into her eyes for a moment, then averted his gaze.
“Don’t overthink it. She has enemies all over the world. I wouldn’t be surprised if someone killed her one day.”
“What about you? It’s time for you to tell me everything.”
Xiang’er’s eyes widened, her lips pressed together tightly.
“What happened to Changli Palace all those years ago?”
“Of course.” He gently ruffled her hair. “If those memories are too painful, you don’t have to tell me.”
Yu Xiang bit her lip gently, her eyes welling up with tears.
“If I tell you, Senior Brother… there’s no going back.”
She said with a trembling voice, “You’ll have to turn against the main sect—”
“Even if you don’t tell me,”
Chen Yin said calmly, “I won’t let those bastards off easily.”
“I’m not that forgiving. I can’t just stand by and watch as they injure my Master.”
Xiang’er’s lips moved slightly. She closed her eyes slowly, and when she opened them again, they were filled with sadness.
“That day… wasn’t about Xiang’er.”
“It was about another girl, a girl named Yin Mengwan.”
She was a lively and cheerful little girl.
She grew up in Changli Palace, the largest sect in Ziqing Province. From the moment she was born, she was the apple of her father, Sect Master Yin Changli’s, eye, a precious treasure cherished by everyone in the sect.
She remembered the senior brothers who would let her ride on their backs like a horse, the senior sisters who would bake her delicious pastries, and even the junior sisters, younger than her, who would follow her around with blushing faces, calling out sweetly:
“Senior Sister, let’s play!”
She was happy.
It was a kind of happiness that many people in the world could only dream of.
But those carefree days, like a fragile dream, were shattered in an instant.
The little girl would never forget that day. She was playing with her mother, her senior brothers and sisters, their laughter echoing from the main hall to the lake behind the mountain.
Then, suddenly…
Her father burst through the doors of the main hall, covered in blood.
He stumbled towards her senior brothers and sisters, his words barely audible. She couldn’t hear what he was saying.
She only remembered that everyone’s expressions turned serious after he spoke. Her mother quickly picked her up and headed towards the back mountain.
On the way, the little girl asked her mother, “Why isn’t Dad coming with us?”
“You little rascal.”
Her mother’s eyes were still gentle. “Don’t bother your father today.”
“Be good and go to sleep early.”
“…Your father and I will be waiting for you in your dreams.” She said softly.
Those were the last words the little girl ever heard from her mother.
She obeyed her mother and went to bed early. She had a sweet dream.
In her dream, the sea became the sky, and she was covered in the colors of coral and rainbows. Whales swam through the clouds, and the sound of the ocean filled her ears.
Then she woke up. Half-awake, she rubbed her eyes and looked for her mother.
But she couldn’t find her.
…All she saw was a lake, stained crimson with blood.
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