Chapter 58
Heng Yu’s movement was subtle. From Wu Mei and Mu Huan’s perspective, they could only see her wide sleeves, not the small movement hidden beneath them. Only Liaowu could clearly perceive it because her pinky finger was hooked with his. The sensation was real.
A helpless expression flickered across his face, and he tugged lightly. He didn’t pull her hand away, but instead caused it to sway, the bell bracelet on her wrist jingling, attracting the attention of Wu Mei and Mu Huan.
Under their curious gazes, Heng Yu asked casually, “Where are you going next?”
Wu Mei shrugged. “I’m going back to my cabin and wait patiently for the Dharma Assembly to begin.” She wasn’t a masochist and didn’t want to be constantly surrounded. Although the disciples who had been confronting her had retreated, there were still other Sword Sect disciples around. As they passed by her, they cast sidelong glances, their swords seeming ready to be drawn and pointed at her at any moment.
As her voice fell, a streak of light appeared in the sky. After circling for a moment, it seemed to sense Wu Mei’s presence and flew straight towards her, transforming into a transmission talisman.
Looking at the talisman, Wu Mei sighed. She took it, unfolded it, and after reading the contents, muttered, “Can’t they give it a rest? The Dharma Assembly is about to start, shouldn’t they be focusing on cultivation? What do they want with me?”
Although her voice was soft, Heng Yu, being close by, overheard her. It seemed the transmission talisman was from Yu Xia.
“What, is there something more to your story with Yu Xia?” Heng Yu asked.
Wu Mei rolled her eyes. Even in anger, the beauty was captivating. “What more could there be? You’ve been reading too many storybooks. Hehuan Sect disciples walk the line between good and evil, sometimes doing things that push the boundaries to achieve our goals.” She then gave Heng Yu a meaningful look, seemingly implying that Heng Yu should learn from her.
Heng Yu smiled, not bothering to respond. However, she wouldn’t mind watching Wu Mei’s drama unfold if the opportunity arose.
“Hey, what’s that look on your face?” Wu Mei said, dissatisfied.
While the two were talking, Mu Huan was also deep in thought. She wanted to continue following Liaowu. But now, a sense of crisis was rising within her. Among the three of them, her inner sect mission was ranked A, Wu Mei’s was quasi-S, and Heng Yu’s was SS. Her mission was the easiest, but Wu Mei had already taken her target by force, and Heng Yu was also making good progress. In comparison, her progress was the slowest.
Flirting with Liaowu could wait, but completing her inner sect mission was more important. Thinking of this, Mu Huan pouted. “I’m going to find that fool Dao Zhuo and see what he’s up to.”
“Then go quickly, don’t waste time standing here,” Heng Yu waved her hand, urging them to leave, looking as if she couldn’t stand them.
Both Wu Mei and Mu Huan rolled their eyes at her and then left in opposite directions, their figures quickly disappearing into the crowd.
After they left, Liaowu, who had been silently standing beside Heng Yu, finally spoke. “Lord Luo.”
Heng Yu raised her wrist slightly. Her wide sleeve slid down, revealing their intertwined pinkies.
To justify her teasing, Heng Yu emphasized, “This is the interest.” After speaking, she slowly released his finger and took a step back, increasing the distance between them.
“Interest?”
“Yes.”
It was the interest for making her feel uncomfortable earlier.
After replying, Heng Yu walked forward. Her gaze swept the surroundings, looking for interesting things and people to pass the time. Liaowu silently followed beside her, carefully helping her avoid the crowds, lest they bump into her.
After walking for a while, they left the market and the Sword Testing Grounds. The number of people around them decreased dramatically, and the noise subsided. A clear lake was not far ahead. The wind here was strong, and Liaowu narrowed his eyes slightly, his long eyelashes fluttering.
He subconsciously shifted his body, shielding her from the gusts of wind, his gaze falling on her, his tone uncertain. “Is Lord Luo unhappy today?”
Heng Yu’s previously calmed emotions stirred again at his question. She looked at Liaowu without speaking, but the emotions in her eyes gave the answer.
Liaowu didn’t know what had happened. He lowered his eyes, wondering if it was because of their conversation on the way to the Sword Testing Grounds or at the grounds themselves. But if it was that conversation… wasn’t he the one who should be feeling more upset?
She was helping him overcome his love tribulation, a debt he owed deeply, and yet she planned to never see him again. Wasn’t he the one who should feel helpless and powerless?
Between the two of them, she always held the initiative. If she truly made a decision, he… couldn’t object. His usually gentle features were tinged with a moment of silence.
Heng Yu felt an inexplicable tightness in her chest. She reached out and tugged at Liaowu’s sleeve. “What are you thinking about? I was just joking with you earlier. That moment of dejection was fleeting. I’m happy that you’re accompanying me around the Sword Sect today. Why would I be unhappy?”
She smiled again, a bright and unrestrained smile, her eyes sparkling.
Liaowu looked at her. She was smiling, a carefree and unrestrained smile. But he felt like her smile was veiled in mist, not entirely genuine.
He suddenly lowered his head and took out two milk candies from his storage ring. He peeled one and put it in his mouth. The milk candy melted in his mouth, the sweetness spreading and calming him.
After regaining his usual composure, he peeled the wrapper off the other candy and offered it to her.
Heng Yu looked at him. “Do you think it would damage the Buddha-son’s reputation if I ate this candy from your hand in such a crowded place?”
Liaowu’s newly calmed emotions stirred again. He sighed lightly. “…Compared to that, this poor monk prefers that Lord Luo does as she pleases.”
Do as she pleases? Alright, at least when it came to eating candy, she would follow her heart.
Heng Yu leaned closer, close enough to smell the faint sandalwood scent on him. She opened her mouth and took the candy from his hand. After a pause, following her heart, she gently nibbled on his fingertip through the wrapper. Her bite was so light and gentle that he didn’t notice it until a moment later.
Before he could react, she released his finger and took a step back, a genuine, bright, and unrestrained smile spreading across her face. “I wasn’t lying before. The dejection was only momentary. From the moment I left to find you until now, I’ve been happy most of the time.”
A tingling sensation spread from his fingertip to his heart. Liaowu felt his heart tremble uncontrollably. This feeling made him flustered, so much so that he subconsciously wanted to recite the Heart-Soothing Mantra.
“What are you thinking about now?” Heng Yu said. “…Let me guess, are you thinking of reciting the Heart-Soothing Mantra?”
“When Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva practiced deep Prajñāpāramitā, she clearly saw that the five aggregates are all empty, thus transcending all suffering and affliction,” Heng Yu recited the Heart-Soothing Mantra before Liaowu, her voice soft.
Although she recited the Buddhist scripture seriously, Liaowu’s flustered feeling didn’t lessen.
“Shariputra, form does not differ from emptiness, emptiness does not differ from form, form is emptiness, emptiness is form…”
The Hehuan Sect identification jade pendant at her waist was getting warmer. The temperature gradually increased.
“Shariputra, all dharmas are marked with emptiness; they do not arise or cease, are not defiled or pure, do not increase or decrease…”
Heng Yu’s gaze fell on Liaowu’s face. Slowly, she chuckled. She suddenly realized she had been mistaken about something.
Compared to Liaowu, she was more like the seductive siren.
He was undergoing his love tribulation, unable to cover his ears and ignore her soft whispers, just like the sailors who couldn’t resist the siren’s song.
But she was different from the siren. She had the chance to make him crash and sink, but she couldn’t bring herself to do it. So she kept wanting him to linger for a while, to accompany her in this lonely sea, before finally letting him cross these waters.
“I’m so kind,” Heng Yu said narcissistically.
As soon as she finished speaking, the increasingly hot jade pendant at her waist began to cool down. Liaowu snapped out of his trance. He lowered his eyes and chuckled. “Liaoyuan praised Lord Luo as a goddess of this era. Since a goddess is admirable, it’s natural for her to be kind.”
Heng Yu said, “Liaoyuan was joking when he praised me. But I take your praise seriously.”
Listening to the whistling wind, Heng Yu looked out at the clear lake surface. Then she couldn’t help but reach out and fiddle with the jade pendant at her waist.
After a moment of distraction, Heng Yu pointed into the distance. “There seems to be something interesting happening over there. Since we have nothing else to do, why don’t you accompany me to take a look?”
Saying that, she quickly walked through the crowd, heading towards the commotion. Her red skirt swayed gently as she walked, the embroidered Hehuan flowers blooming as if emitting a faint, dangerous yet seductive fragrance. As the distance between her and Liaowu increased, Liaowu quickly caught up, walking beside her once more.
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